CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Christmas Cards (Expenditure)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much each ministerial office in her Department spent on the printing and posting of Christmas cards in 2002.

Kim Howells: Ministers sent 1,120 of the 3,800 Christmas cards produced by my Department this year. The design and print costs totalled #1,985 and the majority of cards were sent by second class post.

Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much producing her Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Kim Howells: The cost of producing the Department's 2002 annual report was as follows:
	
		
			  # 
		
		
			  Cost 
			 Design, typesetting, pdfs, etc. 56,105 
			 Print (buy back of copies from The Stationery Office) 24,774 
			 Proofreading 570 
			 Total 81,449 
		
	
	Design costs included the development of a new template which the Department plans to follow for the next two to three years.
	1,400 copies of the final report were purchased at a discounted rate from The Stationery Office (TSO) for distribution to staff, the media and to key players within the Department's non-departmental public bodies and agencies.
	TSO are responsible for the distribution of departmental annual reports and the number of reports printed and sold is a matter for them.

Capita Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by her Department.

Kim Howells: The DCMS have used Capita in the past as shown but have had no dealings with that organisation since February 2002.
	
		CAPITA
		
			   # 
		
		
			  
			 1998–99 (Jan—Apr 98) Recruitment of Chairman and Members -New Opportunities Fund 14,000 
			 1998–99 (Jan—Apr 98) Recruitment of Chairman and Trustees -National Endowment for 13,000 
			 1998–99 (Feb—Apr 98) Recruitment for BBC Appointments 12,000 
			 2001–02 (Oct—Nov 01) Training for Recruitment Scheme—Middle and Senior Managers 17,000 
			 2001–02 (Feb—Mar 02) Providing and Marking Standard Civil Service Written Tests 1,000 
			 2001–02 (Nov 01—Feb 02) Civil Service Junior Manager Recruitment Scheme 8,000 
			  Total 65,000 
		
	
	Includes Royal Parks (nil return)

Sporting Venues (Community Transport)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to improve (a) availability of, (b) access to, and (c) use of community transport for children travelling to sports facilities and events; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: As part of the PE, Schools Sports and Club links Project, DCMS are liaising with colleagues from the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Transport to address the transport problems that arise from school children needing to travel to sporting venues after school hours.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what fair trade criteria she sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use.

Kim Howells: In all procurement, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport follows the requirements of Government accounting, Government procurement guidance and Office of Government Commerce advice. As with environmental considerations those of fair trade are given due consideration but the absence of fair trade credentials are not used to disqualify an otherwise suitable contractor. Where the demands of propriety and value for money can be met equally by all tenderers, the social impact of fair trade will be added to the balance.

National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the total of payments made by NESTA, since its creation, to external businesses and individuals involved in creating, upgrading and maintaining its web site.

Kim Howells: Total expenditure on the website in the four financial years from creation of NESTA to 31/03/02 has been #242,567. In addition, capital expenditure related to the website of #225,629 has been incurred.

Public-Private Partnerships

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many departmental minutes issued by her Department were outstanding on 30 November, that referred to public private partnerships as included in Table B14 of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts; and what their value was.

Kim Howells: holding answer 13 January 2003
	A Departmental Minute was issued on 6 December 1993, relating to the indemnity between the Royal Armouries, and the British Waterways Board, to the site of the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. The amount was unquantifiable as at 31 March 2002. This Minute is still outstanding.

Television Licence Fee

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when consultations will be completed between officials and the BBC regarding amendments to the television licence fee regulations to introduce measures to preserve the rights of beneficiaries of the accommodation for residential care concessionary television licence scheme when the social mix and the level of warden cover in sheltered housing changes.

Kim Howells: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The purpose of the consultations currently in progress is to ensure that the regulations to introduce preserved rights to the accommodation for residential care concession do not create any new anomalies or unnecessary administrative burdens. We hope to be able to bring forward amending regulations shortly.

Tote

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to change the status of the Tote; when such proposals will be brought forward; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We plan to bring forward a Bill which will include provision for the sale of the Tote. We have made it clear that our wish is to sell to a trust that represents relevant horseracing interests. The Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Theft/Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Advocate General what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to her Department in 2002.

Lynda Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, at column 514W.

SCOTLAND

Capita Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by the Office.

Helen Liddell: No contracts have been awarded to the Capita Group by my Department.

Population/Electorate Statistics

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her latest estimates are of (a) the population and (b) the electorate in Scotland.

Helen Liddell: Population statistics in Scotland is a matter for the General Register Office for Scotland, an associated Department of the Scottish Executive. I understand, however, that revised population statistics will be published by the end of February.
	The Office for National Statistics is responsible for the collection of electoral data. I understand that the figures for the electorate as at 1 December 2002 will be published on 27 February.

Economy

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which sectors of the Scottish economy are in recession; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 13 January 2003
	Output in the agriculture, forestry and sector has fallen for the last three consecutive quarters (to Q2 2002). The service, production and construction sectors all grew in the last quarter for which data are available. The Scottish economy as a whole is performing well against a backdrop of difficult global economic conditions.

Public Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of the real increase in spending at the Scottish Office between 1999–2000 and 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: The Scottish Office ceased to exist on 30 June 1999 and the Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Details of expenditure by the Scotland Office are set out in the departmental report and the accounts. As the department was set up during the course of financial year 1999–2000, and expenditure since then has reflected the fact that the department is still moving towards its agreed staffing and operational levels, it would therefore be premature to make estimates of real terms changes in expenditure.

Public Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of total public spending on the Scottish Office for each year from 1999–2000 to 2005–06; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: Details of expenditure from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 are set out in the most recent departmental report by my department. Details for the later years
	will be published in future reports.

Theft/Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Helen Liddell: No cases of theft or fraud were reported in my Department, or in the Boundary Commission for Scotland, in 2002.

TREASURY

Gold

Peter Viggers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the profit or loss on sales of gold by the Bank of England since May 1997, calculated by comparing the price achieved on sale with the current price of gold.

Ruth Kelly: The gold sales programme announced in May 1999 was part of a restructuring programme to reduce the riskiness of the Reserves portfolio.
	This was a long-term investment decision and as such it is inappropriate to measure gains or losses resulting from fluctuations in market values on a particular day or over a short-term period. Gains and losses should be measured over the longer term, taking account of all the elements of the restructuring programme. In particular, the returns gained from the foreign currency assets purchased with the proceeds of the gold sales should also be included (see Part 2 of the National Audit Office Report on XThe Sale of Part of the UK Gold Reserves", published on 12 January 2001).

Home Insurance

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce measures to abolish the switching fees which some home insurance companies charge consumers when they arrange home insurance with someone other than their mortgage providers.

Ruth Kelly: The Government is giving the Financial Services Authority (FSA) responsibility for regulating mortgage business. I understand that the FSA will shortly be consulting on the basis that fees charged for switching insurances taken out as a condition of the mortgage, such as buildings insurance, are disclosed up front.

Import Controls

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 7 January 2003, refs 88430–88432, Official Report, column 165W, when he expects to conclude discussions between the various Departments and agencies involved and to announce the Government's decisions.

John Healey: holding answer 13 January 2003
	This matter is being progressed within Government under the leadership of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who are working actively with Customs to effect the transfer as soon as possible.

Income Tax

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the additional yield of an income tax rate of 50 per cent. on taxable incomes exceeding (a) #100,000 per annum, (b) #125,000 per annum, (c) #150,000 per annum and (d) #200,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will estimate the additional yield from levying a 45 per cent. rate of income tax on (a) taxable and (b) gross incomes exceeding #100,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The additional yield of making the changes is set out in the table.
	
		Income tax yield in 2003–04
		
			  # billion 
		
		
			  
			 (a) 50 per cent. rate for taxable incomes over #100,000 4.9 
			 (b) 50 per cent. rate for taxable incomes over #125,000 4.2 
			 (c) 50 per cent. rate for taxable incomes over #150,000 3.7 
			 (d) 50 per cent. rate for taxable incomes over #200,000 3.0 
			   
			 (a) 45 per cent. rate for taxable incomes over #100,000 2.6 
			 (b) 45 per cent. rate for gross incomes over #100,000 2.7 
		
	
	The estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the November 2002 pre-Budget report. These estimates exclude any behavioural response to the tax change.

Public Borrowing

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his latest assessment of public borrowing this financial year; and whether his projections remain in accordance with those set out in the pre-budget report.

Paul Boateng: The latest estimate of public sector net borrowing for this financial year, in # billion, is set out in Table B1 of the 2002 pre-budget report. Consistent with the code for fiscal stability, an update of projections for the public finances will be published in the forthcoming budget.

Self-assessment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 680–81W, on self-assessment, if he will update the figures; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The statistical data requested is detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Tax Year/Date SA ITRs Issued SA ITRs Received SA ITRs Processed SA ITRs waiting to be processed 
		
		
			 2000–01 
			 1 July 2001 8,940,513 1,323,115 864,497 458,618 
			 29 July 2001 8,990,292 1,943,901 1,350,597 593,304 
			 2 September 2001 8,989,043 2,798,153 1,966,795 831,358 
			 30 September 2001 9,152,255 4,241,952 2,677,145 1,564,807 
			 4 November 2001 8,842,560 4,682,767 3,421,658 1,261,109 
			 2 December 2001 9,360,099 5,383,846 4,436,261 947,585 
			 30 December 2001 9,299,623 5,745,572 4,839,285 906,287 
			 3 February 2002 9,552,433 8,362,361 5,848,319 2,514,042 
			 3 March 2002 9,610,687 8,732,139 6,892,084 1,840,055 
			 31 March 2002 9,644,313 8,805,949 8,009,457 796,492 
			 2001–02 
			 5 May 2002 8,984,089 287,223 74,244 212,979 
			 2 June 2002 9,081,002 751,541 323,265 428,276 
			 7 July 2002 9,167,807 1,397,759 709,556 688,203 
			 4 August 2002 9,300,825 2,717,767 1,591,565 1,126,202 
			 6 October 2002 9,394,724 4,475,890 2,438,405 2,037,485 
			 3 November 2002 9,463,002 4,948,989 3,300,392 1,648,597 
			 24 November 2002 9,511,680 5,280,197 4,008,768 1,271,429 
			 1 December 2002 9,527,269 5,395,919 4,265,782 1,130,137 
			 5 January 2003 9,587,431 5,955,224 4,979,671 975,553

Working Families Tax Credit

Phil Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families with children aged 16 to 19 are claiming Working Families Tax Credit.

Dawn Primarolo: At August 2002 there were 187,000 families receiving Working Families' Tax Credit who, at the application dates, had one or more children who were aged 16 to 18 and who were in full-time education up to XA" level or equivalent standard. This is subject to seasonal variation; there were 159,000 such families at November 2001, 166,000 at February 2002 and 183,000 at May 2002.

PRIME MINISTER

EU Constitution

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Prime Minister if a decision to adopt a constitution for the EU will first be the subject of a referendum in the United Kingdom.

Tony Blair: A new constitutional treaty would need to be ratified according to the individual constitutional arrangements in each of the member states. As with all previous EU treaties, any new treaty would be subject to rigorous scrutiny by Parliament before the UK could ratify it.

Iraq

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will seek assurances from the US President that intelligence from the US Security Services relating to the location of WMD in Iraq have been passed to the UN Weapons inspectors; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether intelligence from the security services concerning the location of WMD in Iraq has been passed to the UN weapons inspectors.

Tony Blair: We regularly discuss with the US Administration issues about the provision of support for the UN inspection teams, including making intelligence material available.
	Intelligence material has been made available to UNMOVIC and the IAEA for some time. We shall continue to provide them with such material as appropriate.

Israel

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart; what recent representations he has made to Israel about possession of weapons of mass destruction; and when he last made representations to Israel on behalf of Mordecai Vanunu.

Tony Blair: I wrote to Prime Minister Sharon last week about the Israeli ban on travel to London by Palestinian Authority Ministers. I last spoke to Mr. Sharon on 29 November 2002.
	The Government presses on all states the importance that we attach to universal adherence to all international non-proliferation treaties. Foreign Office officials last held non-proliferation talks with Israeli officials in March 2002.
	Our Embassy in Tel Aviv last raised our concerns about Mr. Vanunu's imprisonment with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 17 October 2002.

HEALTH

NHS Services (South Wiltshire)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence about the impact of Project Allenby on the provision of NHS services in south Wiltshire; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Although Ministers have not been directly involved in the discussions that have taken place, I understand that at official level the discussions have been positive. I am advised that the Ministry of Defence planned improvements include the provision of an Army Primary Health Care Team to meet the health care needs of army personnel.
	The impact of Project Allenby on local health services is expected as a result to be minimal.

Overseas Doctors

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his assessment is of the speed and efficiency of procedures to assess the competence of overseas qualified doctors; and if he plans to revise them.

John Hutton: Assessing the competence of doctors who have qualified outside the European Economic Area is the responsibility of the General Medical Council, the Specialist Training Authority and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice. At present this process can be unduly lengthy. We are consulting on legislation which will replace two of these bodies with a single new body—the Postgraduate Medical Education Training Board. The Board will be under a duty to complete the processing of applications from overseas doctors within three months.

Health Services (East Kent)

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reconfiguration of health services in East Kent.

Hazel Blears: A decision on the reconfiguration of acute services in East Kent could not be made while the judicial review of the consultation process was under consideration. This has now been completed and Ministers will shortly be considering the recommendation made by Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority. A decision will be made as soon as possible.

Medical Negligence

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS of medical negligence compensation payments was in the last year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The latest figure, for the financial year 2000–01, is that national health service expenditure for clinical negligence amounted to #392 million. Figures for the financial year 2001–02 are being prepared by the National Audit Office and will be available later this year.

Nurses

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the retention of nurses.

John Hutton: The Government are committed to retaining more staff in the national health service. As a result of the action we have taken on better pay, working conditions, and access to training and development vacancy rates for nurses are falling and the NHS Plan target for an extra 20,000 more nurses was met two years early. Since 1997, there are more than 40,000 extra nurses working in the NHS.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NHS Trust)

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the re-financing of the PFI project for Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust.

John Hutton: Initial discussions have taken place involving Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, its Private Sector Partner Octagon and the Department of Health about the possible re-financing of the PFI scheme at the trust. If an agreement is reached, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust will benefit from a 30 per cent. share of resulting gains.

Surrey and Sussex NHS Healthcare Trust

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the financial position of the Surrey and Sussex NHS Healthcare Trust.

Hazel Blears: Surrey and Sussex NHS Healthcare Trust has a budget of #140 million. The Trust has reported a deficit to the end of November of #2.8 million and is projecting a surplus of #193,000 by the year end.

Multiple Sclerosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the prescription plus initiative in respect of sufferers of multiple sclerosis.

Jacqui Smith: A survey of Strategic Health Authorities conducted last autumn showed that services were being developed to initiate treatment under the scheme. We understand that the majority of designated specialist centres are now recruiting patients under the scheme.

Children's Hospices

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on the funding of hospices for children; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: I met the Association of Children's Hospices on 9 January to discuss ways in which funding levels can be determined through negotiation with primary care trusts. We also discussed the benefits to be obtained through the New Opportunities Fund. Awards from this programme will be announced later this month.

Attention Deficit Disorder

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the number of adults suffering from (a) ADD and (b) ADHD.

Jacqui Smith: No such assessment has been undertaken.

Capita Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by his Department.

David Lammy: The Department does not centrally hold a record of individual contracts.
	Expenditure by the Department with the Capita Group for the last three years is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Financial year # 
		
		
			 2000–01 792,433 
			 2001–02 250,172 
			 2002–03 125,942 (to 12/02) 
		
	
	The bulk of the expenditure has been in relation to contracts placed with Capita RAS (part of the Capita Group) for staff recruitment exercises.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 152W, on care home inspectors, when information on the number of different types of establishment will be available.

Jacqui Smith: Data will be available from the end of March.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methodology was used in indicating the increase in the number of people being supported in care homes in the next three years as set out in the document XImprovement, Expansion and Reform: The next three years".

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 28 November 2002
	The modelling methodology took account of projected changes in the numbers of older people generally and in the numbers of emergency hospital admissions of older people between 2003–06.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many CAMHS consultants are employed in the NHS in each health authority.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the tables. The data shows an increase since 1997 of 9.1 per cent., in the number of child and adolescent psychiatrists.
	
		NHS consultants, all specialties and child and adolescent psychiatry specialty
		
			  All specialities Child and adolescent psychiatry 
		
		
			 England   
			 1997 21,370 440 
			 1998 22,220 460 
			 1999 23,220 490 
			 2000 24,310 480 
			 2001 25,690 490 
			 2002 26,350 480 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are at 30 September each year, except 2002 which is at 31 March.
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
	
		Hospital medical consultants in the specialty child and adolescent psychiatry by strategic health authority
		
			 At 31 March 2002  
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 20 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 10 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 20 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 20 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 20 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 10 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 10 
			 Dorset and Somerset 10 
			 Essex 0(1) 
			 Greater Manchester 20 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 20 
			 Kent and Medway 10 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 10 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 30 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 10 
			 North Central London 20 
			 North East London 20 
			 North West London 30 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 20 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 10 
			 South East London 20 
			 South West London 20 
			 South West Peninsula 0(1) 
			 South Yorkshire 10 
			 Surrey and Sussex 30 
			 Thames Valley 30 
			 Trent 30 
			 West Yorkshire 20 
		
	
	(1) Figure less than 5.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Department of Health 2002 consultant census.

Cumberland Infirmary

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of elective surgery operations performed at the Cumberland Infirmary related to residents of (a) Scotland and (b) Dumfries and Galloway in the last 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: During 2001–02, of the 29,130 elective Xfinished consultant episodes" (FCEs) at the North Cumbria Acute Hospitals National Health Service trust, 1.95 per cent., or 570, were residents of Scotland and 1.77 per cent., or 520, were residents of Dumfries and Galloway.
	Note:
	A FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year.
	Figures have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
	Source:
	Department of Health Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).

NHS Dentistry

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2002, ref 87420, if he will list the dental practices that accept NHS patients in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire.

David Lammy: The situation as at 10 January is as follows:
	One practice in Shrewsbury accepting charge exempt adults and children only:
	David Barker Dental Practice
	Other practices in Shropshire (including Telford and Wrekin)
	Accepting all categories of new national health service patients:
	Webb Dental Practice, Dawley
	Accepting charge-exempt adults and children only:
	Albrighton Dental Surgery
	Dawley Dental Practice
	K. S. Gakhal Dental Practice, Wellington
	High Street Dental Practice, Whitchurch
	Kearney-Mitchell and Holgate Dental Practice, Whitchurch
	Only accepting children:
	I. S. Clapworthy Dental Practice, Church Stretton
	Lyness Dental Practice, Church Stretton
	Shifnal Dental Practice
	M. J. Davies Dental Practice, Wellington
	Source:
	Shropshire County Primary Care Trust

Digital Hearing Aids

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with private companies on digital hearing aids; and whether he has communicated information on his discussions to NHS trusts.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 12 December 2002
	I met with Scrivens, a high street supplier of digital hearing aids, on 19 March 2002.
	There have been no discussions between Ministers and private companies who manufacture digital hearing aids. Manufacturers of moderate powered digital hearing aids were invited to tender for the national health service contract let in 2000 in an advertisement placed in the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC). At present the NHS purchasing and supplies agency are tendering for high powered and paediatric digital hearing aids and as part of this process have been in discussions with suppliers who expressed an interest in that OJEC advert placed earlier this year. All interested suppliers were invited to a pre-offer briefing meeting where the requirements of the tender were outlined including the specifications.
	Audiology departments are informed of the products available under the NHS contract.

Digital Hearing Aids

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much trusts in England and Wales allocated to digital hearing aids in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health has allocated #30.75 million to its modernising hearing aid services project over the financial years 2000–01 to 2002–03 to national health service trusts in England. This modernised service includes the provision of digital hearing aids. Twenty sites joined the project in the first wave, with a further 30 second-wave sites joining in 2002–03.
	For second wave sites the Department pays the cost of upgrading information technology and other systems, 75 per cent. of additional staff costs and 75 per cent. of the difference between the cost of providing digital and analogue aids. Local primary care trusts pay the remaining 25 per cent. of revenue costs.
	A further 17 sites will be receiving training and equipment, this financial year, to allow them to dispense digital hearing aids.

Drug Rehabilitation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average period of (a) residential and (b) non-residential drug rehabilitation was in the last year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 December 2002
	This information is not collected centrally.
	The periods will vary according to the different drug treatment modalities and depend on the clinical and social needs of each individual drug user. The variations in the length of treatment times, in individual cases, are such that comparisons could be very misleading.

Electronic Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have online secure access to their electronic records.

David Lammy: Trials involving a very small number of patients are currently taking place. The My HealthSpace project, which is the personal electronic record under development by NHS Direct Online, is conducting a pilot trial to give patients access to their records.

Electronic Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects electronic prescribing to be available through the NHS;
	(2)  what development work has been done for the introduction of electronic prescribing.

David Lammy: Three pilots are currently transferring prescription data electronically from general practitioners to community pharmacies and the Prescription Pricing Authority. These are being run by three private sector consortiums on behalf of the Department.
	The pilots are being fully and independently evaluated, and will inform the business case and how best to establish and rollout the electronic transmission of prescriptions in the national health service in line with XPharmacy in the Future—Implementing the NHS Plan".

Emergency Readmissions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the rate of growth in emergency readmissions of people over 75 per thousand emergency admissions in each of the last five years in (a) each region and (b) England.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 7 January 2003
	The emergency readmission rates collected by the Department use number of discharges from hospital as the denominator, rather than number of emergency admissions. The information requested, therefore, is not available.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what fair trade criteria he sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use.

David Lammy: No set criteria are used but tenders are evaluated against a range of criteria to select the one giving best value for money. These include company policies in relation to environmental and similar considerations.

Foundation Hospitals (Scotland)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance will be given to foundation hospitals on recruitment from existing Scottish NHS hospitals.

John Hutton: National health service foundation trusts will be under a duty of partnership with NHS bodies (see paragraphs 3.21 and 6.1 of XA guide to NHS Foundation Trusts"). This duty of partnership will apply to NHS and social care providers and commissioners in the local health economy, including where appropriate in Scotland.

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what order the General Social Care Council will register each category of care worker.

Jacqui Smith: The General Social Care Council will open a register of social care workers in April 2003. Professionally qualified social workers and students of social work will be the first to be registered. Heads of homes are the next priority group.
	Other parts of the register will be opened at a time determined by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health.

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate the General Social Care Council has made of the number of people it will be able to register each year.

Jacqui Smith: Once in full operation, the General Social Care Council expects to process an average of 60,000 applications each year.

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on registrations by the General Social Care Council of the requirement to undertake Criminal Record Bureau checks.

Jacqui Smith: There is no requirement on the General Social Care Council to undertake criminal checks to register an applicant. In December 2002 the GSCC provided the Department of Health with an assessment of the potential demand on the Criminal Records Bureau if the GSCC decided to make such checks. The result of this assessment was that theGSCC estimated their output, once fully operational, would be in the region of 5,000 applications per month.

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the General Social Care Council will have access to the sex offenders' register when processing applications.

Jacqui Smith: If the General Social Care Council sets rules for registration that require such checks to be completed, then the Council will be granted the same access as any other registration body.

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the planned dates were for each of the milestones in the procurement of an IT system for the General Social Care Council; and when each milestone was achieved.

Jacqui Smith: The delivery date for the provision of a social care register, supported by an information technology (IT) system, is 1 April 2003.
	The planned milestones and completion dates for the procurement of an IT system for the General Social Care Council social care register are as follows:
	
		
			  Milestone Planned date Actual date 
		
		
			 1. Issue of Statement of Requirement 27 March 2002 27 March 2002 
			 2. Selection of preferred bespoke system supplier 24 May 2002 24 May 2002 
			 3. Completion of requirements scoping study 9 August 2002 23 August 2002 
			 4. Complete availability of COTS packages 26 September 2002 26 September 2002 
			 5. Shortlist COTS package suppliers 11 October 2002 11 October 2002 
			 6. Receive COTS package supplier bids 28 November 2002 28 November 2002 
			 7. Select preferred COTS package supplier 10 December 2002 10 December 2002 
			 8. Initial customer/supplier engagement complete 20 December 2002 20 December 2002 
			 9. Demonstration system available 16 January 2003 — 
			 10. Initial package configuration complete 7 February 2003 — 
			 11. User acceptance testing complete 28 February 2003 — 
			 12. Initial user training complete 31 March 2003 — 
			 13. Electronic social care register opened 1 April 2003 —

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements have been made to enable the General Social Care Council to check applications against the registers of the GMC, NMC and other relevant bodies.

Jacqui Smith: The General Social Care Council will be working with other relevant regulatory bodies on agreed protocols for the exchange of such information.

Social Care Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to the General Social Care Council concerning its priorities and method of working.

Jacqui Smith: Any guidance from the Department to the General Social Care Council concerning its priorities and method of working is contained in the Council's management statement and financial memorandum, which was agreed with the Department in September 2002. Copies were laid in the Library. Such guidance is reflected further in the Council's business plan.

Generic Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many generic drugs have been prescribed in (a) England and (b) each region in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: holding answer 7 January 2003
	Information on the number of prescription items of generic drugs dispensed in the community in the last five years is shown in the table.
	
		Number of genetically prescribed items and total number of prescription items that were dispensed in the community, 1997 to 2001 by regional office, England -- Million
		
			  Regional office area  
			  Northern and Yorkshire Trent West Midlands North West Eastern London South East South West England 
		
		
			 1997  
			 Generically prescribed items 44 31 31 50 28 36 45 28 292 
			 Total items(2) 70 56 55 80 50 62 77 49 500 
			   
			 1998  
			 Generically prescribed items 47 33 34 53 30 38 48 31 314 
			 Total items(2) 73 57 57 82 52 63 79 50 513 
			   
			 1999  
			 Generically prescribed items 50 36 37 56 33 41 52 34 339 
			 Total items(2) 75 59 59 84 54 65 82 52 530 
			   
			 2000  
			 Generically prescribed items 56 42 41 61 39 45 59 38 381 
			 Total items(2) 78 62 61 87 57 66 86 55 552 
			   
			 2001  
			 Generically prescribed items 62 47 45 68 43 49 65 42 422 
			 Total items(2) 83 66 65 92 61 69 91 59 587 
		
	
	(2) The total number of prescription items includes dressings and appliances.
	Notes:
	1. The data are from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system from the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) and cover prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and items personally administered.
	2. Figures in the table have been rounded to the nearest million. Therefore the sum of the Regional Offices may not equal the England total.

Genetics Green Paper

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Green Paper on Genetics.

Hazel Blears: The Green Paper on genetics will be published shortly.

Health Screening (NHS Staff)

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health screening tests are carried out on (a) existing NHS staff and (b) prospective recruits; and what are planned.

John Hutton: Applicants for work in the national health service are required to pass a number of pre-employment checks prior to receiving an unconditional offer of employment. These include verification of qualifications, identity, professional registration, criminal records and occupational health. Guidance on pre-employment checks was issued to NHS employers under the cover of a Direction for the Secretary of State, in June 2002.
	Following the recommendations made by an expert working group the Government is currently consulting the professions and patient organisations regarding the introduction of additional health clearance for serious communicable diseases.

Heroin

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs prescribe drugs to combat heroin addiction, broken down by region.

Hazel Blears: The information is not available centrally in this form.
	In the six month period ending 31 March 2001 around 35,100 clients were reported at drug treatment agencies in England.
	Of these, around 1,700 or five per cent. were reported to be clients presenting to general practitioners.
	The information on the breakdown by region is shown in table 15 of the Statistical Bulletin, XStatistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases for the six months ending March 2001". The full Statistical Bulletin is available in the Library and on the Department's website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0207.htm
	Table 15
	Agency episodes reported by regional office area and health authority of treatment by type of agency during the period 1 October 2000–31 March 2001, provides information on the number of NHS funded general practices that have provided prescribing services to drug users by region.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 322 
			 Trent 140 
			 Eastern 259 
			 London 171 
			 South East 564 
			 West Midlands 104 
			 North West 160 
			 South West Not Available

Illness Prevention

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority his Department places on the prevention of illnesses.

Hazel Blears: The Department—and this Government as a whole—places the highest priority on preventing illness, promoting the health of all and improving the health of the poorest fastest. This means tackling inequalities, and reducing mortality from cancer and coronary heart disease—the two biggest killers in England. As well as reducing the burden caused by infectious diseases.

Public Health (Landfill Sites)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has received from the Health and Safety Executive regarding the effects of landfill sites on public health.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health has received no assessment from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding the effects of landfill sites on public health.
	The HSE contributes to a grant to the small area health statistics unit (SAHSU) at Imperial College, jointly with the Department of Health, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly of Wales and the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. SAHSU was commissioned to carry out a national study of birth outcomes and cancer around landfill sites.
	The results for birth outcomes were published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 (Elliott et al BMJ 2001: 323: 363–8: available at http://www.bmj.com). The results for the cancer outcomes were published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2002 (Jarup et al 2002: 86: 1732–6). A fuller report of the study may be found at the Department of Health website at: http://www.doh.gov.uk/pdfs/report augl3.pdf. The study found a small increase in congenital anomalies in populations living close to landfill sites. There was no suggestion of excess risks of cancer associated with landfill sites. The Department sought advice on the study from the independent expert Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT). COT noted that the findings for birth outcomes were not consistent, and that the study provided no evidence that the rates of anomalies increased after sites had opened. The opinion of the COT may be found at: http://www.doh.gov.uk/cotnonfood/landfil.htm.

Life Resources Incorporated

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what representations were (a) sought and (b) received from the Scottish Executive regarding the purchase of Life Resources Incorporated; and what consultations have taken place between his Department and the Scottish Executive regarding access to resources stored in Life Resources Incorporated;
	(2)  what future consultations he plans with the Scottish Executive regarding access to resources stored in Life Sources Incorporated; and what financial resources (a) have been received from and (b) will be paid by the Scottish Executive regarding access to resources stored in Life Resources Incorporated;
	(3)  what role the Scottish Executive played in the purchase of Life Resources Incorporated; and whether the Scottish Executive will have representation at board level;
	(4)  what representations were received from the Scottish Executive regarding bonus payments to be paid out in future years to Life Resources Incorporated;
	(5)  whether contracts on behalf of the NHS in Scotland have been made with Life Resources Incorporated, for the purchase of plasma products that are free of vCJD, for use within the NHS in Scotland.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has its own independent sources of non-UK plasma. The Scottish Executive were therefore not involved in the Government's decision to purchase Life Resources Incorporated to secure supplies of non-UK plasma for the national health service in England.Accordingly, no consultations or financial transactions took place with the Scottish Executive concerning the purchase of Life Resources and the Scottish Executive will have no involvement in the future management of the company.
	SNBTS is not currently supplied with plasma by Life Resources Incorporated. Should SNBTS decide in future to tender for plasma supplies, Life Resources could be one of a number of commercial plasma suppliers that might compete for this contract.

Maternity Units

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many maternity units do not reach recommended levels for the number of deliveries per year, as defined by the relevant Royal College.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected centrally.
	National health service maternity services are provided in a variety of settings, and the numbers of deliveries in each unit can vary from about five to 10 births per year in a very small midwife-led unit to large consultant-led units in hospitals with over 5,000 births.
	Information relating to maternities in the NHS is collected by trusts and is available through the Hospital Episode Statistics System at www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb/o211.htm

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on promoting mental health services for (a) the disabled and (b) ethnic minorities;
	(2)  what plans he has to develop a research strategy for overseeing service solutions for (a) ethnic minorities and (b) the disabled, with mental health problems.

Jacqui Smith: The Department will be launching a comprehensive framework for black and minority ethnic mental health later this year. The framework will cover accessibility of services and relevant research. The National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) has set up a national black and ethnic minorities mental health innovations and research and development expert group to support the NIMHE research network to support implementation of the framework.
	The Government White Paper, XValuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century", is clear that the national service framework for mental health applies to all adults of working age, including people with learning disabilities who have a mental illness. They should be enabled to use generic psychiatric services whenever possible. Each local service should have access to an acute assessment and treatment resource for the small number of individuals with significant learning disabilities and mental health problems who cannot appropriately be admitted to general psychiatric services, even with specialist support.
	XA Sign of the Times", a consultation document on modernising mental health services for people who are deaf or deaf and blind, was published in July 2002. It set out proposals aimed at making a significant difference to the lives of deaf people with mental health problems whose needs were previously overlooked.

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 199W, on mental health services, what assessment he has made of the contribution that a code of conduct for mental health professionals and users can make to improvements in the treatment of users of mental health services.

Jacqui Smith: The Government have made no assessment of the contribution of professionals' codes of conduct to mental health care and treatment. Although we believe codes of conduct can contribute to the maintenance of high standards, and have a place among the several systems in place to support the highest quality care, responsibility for their development and use lies with the statutory regulatory bodies and professional organisations.

National School Fruit Scheme

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will support the provision of organic fruit to school children as part of the national school fruit scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Contracts to supply fruit under the National School Fruit Scheme are awarded through open, competitive tendering. The tendering process is open to all suppliers, including those who provide organically grown fruit.

NHS (Tariff System)

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the new national tariff system for NHS hospitals will vary to reflect regional differences in the cost of providing services.

David Lammy: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The new national tariff takes account of unavoidable geographical differences in the cost of providing health care. The same market forces factor (MFF) used in the weighted capitation formula for resource allocation is used to adjust the tariff for individual providers.
	More information on how the MFF is used to determine provider specific tariffs, and the actual MFF factors for 2003–04, is set out in Annex B of the guidance published on the Department of Health website: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsfinancialreforms/

NHS Appointments Commission

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason applicants to the NHS Appointments Commission are required to declare their political allegiance.

David Lammy: The code of practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments that all candidates for appointment to public bodies are asked to answer the question ion political activity, as opposed to allegiance. This is for monitoring purposes only and the information is not passed on to sifting and interview panels considering candidates for appointment.

NHS Franchises

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will be responsible for assessing the impact of problems which arise when an NHS management team takes on the franchise for running a further NHS trust.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2002
	The Boards of National Health Service trusts are responsible for the performance of their own trust. The strategic health authority monitors overall performance and progress in each trust. Assessments of performance are also made in clinical governance inspections by the Commission for Health Improvement.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) clinical and (b) non-clinical employees each of the private sector companies on the Register of Expertise has.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2003
	The applications for the National Health Service Franchising Register of Expertise were in the names f corporate bodies rather than individuals. An organisation which tenders for a franchise will be required to name appropriately qualified individual(s) to carry out senior management roles in a hospital trust as part of their bid.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any of the three-star NHS trusts included in the Register of Experts asked to be included.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2002
	As part of the earned autonomy package, all three star National Health Service trusts are given automatic entry to the franchising register of expertise and therefore do not need to apply. These trusts are not under any obligation to apply for franchise opportunities that arise.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) private and (b) voluntary sector organisations which applied to be included in the Register of Experts but were rejected.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2002
	The selection and rejection of applicants for the National Health Service Franchising Register of Expertise is a matter for the independent panel which was set up by the National Health Service Appointments Commission to assess the applications.
	It would not be appropriate to publish the names of organisations who applied, but were unsuccessful, as the applications were made in confidence to the independent panel.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS organisations will need the approval of their board before applying for a franchise to run another trust.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2003
	A National Health Service trust would need the agreement of its Board before it could apply for a franchise to run another National Health Service trust.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the private sector companies on the Register of Experts, how many managers were previously employed in the NHS.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2003
	The applications for the National Health Service franchising register of expertise were in the names of corporate bodies rather than individuals. An organisation which tenders for a franchise will be required to name an appropriately qualified individuals(s) to carry out management roles in a hospital trust as part of their bid.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals are managed by each of the private sector organisations on the Register of Experts; and how many beds, emergency admissions and intensive care beds there are in each such hospital.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2003
	The independent panel set up by the National Health Service Appointments Commission assessed the general ability of each private sector organisation to run a hospital trust. The expertise and experience of every organisation which tenders for a National Health Service franchise will be thoroughly and rigorously assessed before any contract is awarded.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the sum to be paid to franchised managements of NHS trusts will be made public.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2003
	The management fee paid to private sector organisations for any franchise agreement is amatter for the Board of the relevant National Health Service trust.

Register of Experts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the private management of franchised NHS trusts will be able to levy fines on local authorities which fail to provide sufficient help with hospital discharges.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 January 2003
	Subject to legislation, the ability to levy fines on local authorities that delay hospital discharges will apply to the institution, not the management of the organisation. A private sector organisation awarded the management franchise of a hospital trust would not retain any money received for itself through this arrangement, but it would go into general funds.

Nursing Vacancies

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing vacancies exist in trusts in England and Wales.

John Hutton: Information on vacancies lasting three months or more for nursing staff in England is shown in the table.
	The three month vacancy rate was 3.1 per cent. in March 2002, a fall from 3.4 per cent. in March 2001 and the second successive fall in vacancies for qualified nursing staff.
	Information for Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002 -- Vacancies in NHS Trusts, qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staffThree month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
		
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff (excluding HA staff) England (excluding HA staff) 
		
		
			 Three month vacancy rate (percentage) 3.1 
			 Three month vacancy number 8,394 
			 Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) 265,717 
			 Staff in post (headcount) 329,981 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2002.
	2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
	3. Three month Vacancy Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
	4. Three month Vacancy Rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey, March 2002.
	5. Staff in post data is from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2001.
	6. Staff in post data excludes staff employed by Health Authorities, as vacancy information was only collected from Trusts, PCTs and Special Health Authorities.
	7. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	8. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
	Sources:
	Vacancy Numbers and Rates: Department of Health Vacancies Survey March 2002
	Non Medical Staff in Post: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce census September 2001

Sleep Disorders

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to ensure that health purchasers are encouraged to diagnose and treat obstructive sleep apnoea;
	(2)  if he will list the trusts and PCTs where the provision of diagnostic and therapeutic services for obstructive sleep apnoea are available;
	(3)  plans he has to include sleep apnoea and other sleep disorders in his national plan.

John Hutton: Targets for National Health Service modernisation and reform set out in the NHS Plan will help improve services for everyone using NHS services, including those with sleep apnoea and other sleep disorders.
	Substantial new investment in both health and social care services were recently announced in the Budget. The NHS will receive an annual average increase of 7.5 per cent. above inflation over the five years 2003–04 to 2007–08. This represents an increase of #34 billion in funding and is the highest sustained growth in funding in the history of the NHS. This increase will provide the investment needed to support services which best meet patients and users needs.
	Information on the configuration of local services such as which primary care trusts (PCTs) provide diagnostic and therapeutic services for obstructive sleep apnoea is not held centrally. However, we are aware that there are specialised sleep disorder services at St Thomas' Hospital, London and at hospitals in Cambridge and Leicester.
	PCTs, in partnership with local stakeholders, have the responsibility for deciding what services to provide for their populations including those with sleep apnoea. They are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.

Patient Testing

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on near patient testing by NHS trusts.

John Hutton: The NHS Plan set out the vision for the national health service to offer patients fast and convenient care offered to a consistently high standard. Subsequently, Delivering the NHS Plan confirmed our commitment to substantial increases in NHS capacity and to using the extra investment to modernise the way services are provided to bring them closer to patients, to expand the choices available to them and to make better use of the NHS work force.
	The Department recognises the vital role of pathology services in the effective treatment and care of patients, and in providing fast and effective diagnoses to support improved access to services. We support the appropriate use of near patient testing in primary care, community clinics, accident and emergency departments and on the wards, which can provide improved service for patients, speeding up diagnoses and treatment.
	We are currently revising our draft guidance for the NHS on modernising pathology services, and will include advice on appropriate use of near patient testing in this.

Primary Care Trusts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the first report on the effectiveness of primary care trusts.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris) on 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 204W.

GP Recruitment

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets have been set for the recruitment of GPs in England.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2002
	The NHS Plan set a target of 2,000 extra general practitioners by 2004. Delivering the NHS Plan, published in April, set out the next stage in this expansion—15,000 more GPs and consultants working in the national health service by 2008.

Recruitment of Nurses

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 November regarding ethical foreign nurse recruitment if he will list the names of the agencies that have been reported; what investigations have been undertaken; and what action has been taken against any agency found guilty of breaches.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2002
	This information is held in confidence. In each case behaviour which appeared to be inconsistent with the Code of Practice was reported and the agency was given the opportunity to respond to the allegations. In each case officials have been satisfied that the organisation in question is operating in line with the Code of Practice.
	This process will be followed in all cases, but if any allegation is substantiated, the agency will be removed from the list. At this stage, the information will be publicly available.

Spending Review

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for his Department (a) those Comprehensive Spending Review 1998 targets that were outstanding at the time of the statement on the Comprehensive Spending Review 2002, (b) progress on such targets since then and (c) the expected date when targets not yet achieved will be met.

David Lammy: holding answer 7 December 2002
	The Department publishes progress against all its outstanding Public Service Agreement targets in its Departmental Report and Autumn Performance Report, copies of which are available in the Library.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what facilities are available to deal with a terrorist attack involving chemical or biological agents, in each region; and which of these facilities were put in place in the last twelve months.

John Hutton: Since 11 September 2001, National Health Service preparations have been stepped up to ensure we are as prepared as we can be in responding to a range of possible new threats, such as the deliberate release of chemical or biological agents.
	In the past 12 months, specific medical countermeasures have been taken. However, information about these medical countermeasures and where they are placed is not made publicly available for security reasons.
	Under a #5 million programme, the Department has funded the provision of 360 mobile decontamination units and 7,250 national specification personal protective equipment (PPE) suits which allow the ambulance service and accident and emergency departments to treat people contaminated with chemical, biological, radio-active and nuclear material. Theallocation of this equipment to health and social care regions is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Region PPE Suits Mobile Decontamination Units 
		
		
			 London 862 46 
			 Midlands & Eastern 1728 88 
			 North 2174 109 
			 South 2486 117

Urologists

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he plans to take to increase the ratio of urologists per capita in Great Britain.

John Hutton: Since 1997, the number of consultant urologists has increased by 27 per cent. to 436 in March 2002. We are increasing the number of consultant urologists through expansion of registrar training places, improved recruitment and retention, international recruitment and promotion of flexible retirement.
	In 2001 there were 0.9 urologists per 100,000 population.
	As at 30 September 2001 there were 204 doctors in the registrar group for urology in the national health service in England. The output from these existing registrar training places, when combined with other increases and offset by expected retirements in the specialty is expected to result in around 582 trained specialists being available in surgery by 2010. The number of urologists per capita is therefore likely to increase significantly.

Waiting Times

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 10 longest waiting times for NHS treatment according to the most recent data that he has available.

John Hutton: The latest published commissioner data for England in October 2002 show there were a total of nine patients waiting over 15 months for in-patient admission.

Welsh Health Authority Referrals

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients referred from a Welsh health authority in the last year for which records are available were treated in each of the 10 English hospitals that treated the highest numbers of such patients; for each hospital, what the most common procedures carried out on such patients were; and how many such procedures were carried out.

John Hutton: Data on the number of Welsh patients treated as in-patients in the 10 English national health service trusts that treated the highest number of Welsh patients in 2001–02 is shown in the table.
	The five most common in-patient procedures carried out on Welsh patients in those NHS trusts are shown in the table. Data are collected on approximately 850 procedures carried out in NHS trusts.
	
		Five most common in-patient procedures
		
			  NHS trust Total Welsh resident patients treated  Procedure Number of patients treated 
		
		
			 Countess of Chester Hospital 7,729 X35 Other intravenous injection 332 
			   R24 Normal delivery 266 
			   H25 Diagnostic endoscopic exam/lower bowel using fibreoptic signoidoscope 172 
			   C75 Prosthesis of lens 160 
			   G45 Diagnostic fibreoptic endoscopic exam 149 
			 Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals 6,819 X35 Other intravenous injection 518 
			   M45 Diagnostic endoscopic examination of bladder 269 
			   C71 Extracapsular extraction of lens 237 
			   G45 Diagnostic fibreoptic endoscopic exam 209 
			   R24 Normal delivery 199 
			 Hereford Hospitals 2,949 C75 Prosthesis of lens 241 
			   R24 Normal delivery 75 
			   X35 Other intravenous injection 74 
			   M45 Diagnostic endoscopic examination of bladder 54 
			   W37 Total prosthetic replacement of hip joint using cement 51 
			 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt 2,885 X29 Continuous infusion of therapeutic substance 245 
			   W37 Total prosthetic replacement of hip joint using cement 243 
			   W82 Therapeutic endoscopic operations on semilunar cartilage 155 
			   W40 Total prosthetic replacement of knee joint using cement 151 
			   W83 Therapeutic endoscopic operations on other articular cartilage 130 
			 Royal Liverpool Children's 1,559 A54 Therapeutic spinal puncture 97 
			   X29 Continuous infusion of therapeutic substance 96 
			   T19 Simple excision of inguinal hernial sac 59 
			   L91 Other vein related operations 52 
			   G45 Diagnostic fibreoptic endoscopic exam 44 
			 The Cardiothoracic Centre, Liverpool 1,411 K63 Contrast radiology of heart 720 
			   K49 Transluminal balloon angioplasty of coronary artery 169 
			   K45 Connection of thoracic artery to coronary artery 133 
			   K26 Plastic repair of aortic valve 53 
			   K60 Cardiac pacemaker system introduced through vein 46 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester 1,089 K63 Contrast radiology of heart 497 
			   K45 Connection of thoracic artery to coronary artery 143 
			   K49 Transluminal balloon angioplasty of coronary artery 98 
			   K57 Other therapeutic transluminal operations on heart 27 
			   K60 Cardiac pacemaker system introduced through vein 17 
			 Walton Centre for Neurology 904 A55 Diagnostic spinal puncture 114 
			   A84 Neurophysiological operations 86 
			   A08 Other biopsy of lesion of tissue of brain 70 
			   X55 Other operations on unspecified organ 69 
			   X29 Continuous infusion of therapeutic substance 52 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen 812 C82 Destruction of lesion of retina 61 
			   X29 Continuous infusion of therapeutic substance 52 
			   C79 Operations on vitreous body 40 
			   G45 Diagnostic fibreoptic endoscopic exam 36 
			   X33 Other blood transfusion 26 
			 United Bristol Healthcare 768 C79 Operations on vitreous body 77 
			   X35 Other intravenous injection 33 
			   C82 Destruction of lesion of retina 31 
			   C75 Prosthesis of lens 25 
			   W30 Other external fixation of bone 21 
		
	
	Source
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Chemicals Policy

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the European Union's chemicals management system REACH on (a) the relative costs of the manufacture and use of chemicals in member states in competition with finished manufactured articles imported into the EU and (b) the confidentiality of commercially-sensitive product manufacturing information; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: In May 2001, the Government prepared a partial regulatory impact assessment to consider the impact of the European Union's chemicals management system REACH. A full regulatory impact assessment, with a more detailed cost benefit analysis, taking into account the wider economic impact will be carried out once the Commission has published its proposals.
	The Government are committed to having a transparent system and would expect to see as much information as possible made publicly available, which would certainly include basic hazard and exposure data associated with substances. However, in order to avoid free riders and to avoid stifling innovation, adequate controls on access to genuinely commercially sensitive data are needed whilst recognising the right of the public to have access to relevant and meaningful information on hazards and risk. We have had discussions with a number of stakeholders and will seek to work with the European Commission to ensure practical proposals come forward.
	The Government and devolved Administrations have agreed a position statement on the New European Chemical Strategy, a copy of this is in the House Library and can be found on the Defra website at

Air Quality

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many days of poor urban air quality there have been in each year since 1993.

Margaret Beckett: The United Kingdom Government and the devolved administrations monitor levels of a number of pollutants through a national network of air quality monitoring sites. The monitoring network has undergone a large expansion from 24 urban sites in 1993 to 100 in 2002. Air quality monitoring data and statistics are published on the National Air Quality Information Archive website www.airquality.co.uk.
	
		
			  Number of days with poor urban air quality Number of urban monitoring sites in operation 
		
		
			 1993 99 24 
			 1994 73 30 
			 1995 51 31 
			 1996 60 51 
			 1997 64 79 
			 1998 51 84 
			 1999 52 84 
			 2000 38 86 
			 2001 61 97 
			 2002 29 100 
		
	
	The increase in the number of days with poor air quality in 2001 compared with the previous three years is partly due to the larger number of measurement sites in use in 2001 and partly due to the natural fluctuations in weather conditions leading to very localised high concentrations. The overall trend over the whole period from 1993 is downward.

Ancient Woodland

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change planning regulations to strengthen protection for ancient woodland in England.

Tony McNulty: The statement Sustainable Communities: Delivering through planning, given by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister last July, confirmed that all planning policy guidance notes (PPGs) are to be reviewed. The review of PPG9 on nature conservation will consider how land-use planning can take into account all aspects of nature conservation, including whether there is sufficient protection for ancient woodland. Any changes proposed to the PPG will be subject to public consultation.

Beef Premium

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many inspectors are employed by her Department to validate claims for (a) slaughter premium and (b) beef special premium scheme.

Alun Michael: In England, all on-farm bovine inspections take place during a single combined visit to a producer's premises. The actual inspections included will depend on the subsidy schemes against which the producer claims. 247 inspectors in the Rural Payments Agency's Inspectorate are trained to carry out inspections across the range of bovine schemes. These inspectors also carry out inspections under a wide range of other livestock and land based schemes.

Coastal Erosion

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the action required in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to protect against the risk of coastal erosion;
	(2)  what assessment her Department made in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03 about the risk of coastal erosion.

Margaret Beckett: This Department has overall policy responsibility for coastal erosion risk but operational responsibility, for assessing risks, identifying the need for defence measures and deciding which projects to promote and their timing, rests with local authorities. However, as an aid for the planning by all flood and coastal operating authorities, DEFRA commissioned research into a National Appraisal of the Assets at Risk from flooding and coastal erosion. The results were published in 2000 and 2001.
	Local authorities submit their medium term plans for capital works to reduce the risk of coast protection to DEFRA annually to inform our decisions on the allocation of funds.

Correspondence

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter from Mr. D Paton of Pinetops Nurseries, Lymington, dated 8 October 2002.

Alun Michael: I cannot respond properly without knowing the subject of the letter in question.
	Information on letters sent direct to the Department from members of the public is not collated centrally. Such letters are referred to the relevant division within the Department on receipt for answer.

Flooding

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to respond to the consultation on funding and organisation of flood defences.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 13 January 2002
	I am considering the outcome of the flood and coastal defence funding review and will make an announcement on the conclusions as soon as possible.

Import Controls

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the transfer to Customs and Excise of responsibility for port checks on the importing of plant and animal products will become effective.

Margaret Beckett: Responsibility for anti-smuggling controls of plant and animal products will pass to HM Customs and Excise as soon as practicable, which we hope will mean by 1 April 2003. We are, however, currently discussing with Customs and other enforcement agencies the legislative options for achieving this transfer and what, if any, transitional arrangements need to be made, before any firm commitments on a date can be given.
	Responsibility for port checks on plant and animal products imported legally will continue to lie respectively with the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate and the official veterinary surgeons appointed by the relevant local or port health authority.

Odour Emissions (Mushroom Substrate)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what action is being taken to ensure that odour emissions from mushroom substrate manufacturing processes are reduced;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the review of the Environment Protection Act 1990 Part 1; Processes Prescribed for Air Pollution controlled by Local Authorities; Secretary of State's Guidance Note PG6/30(97) on Mushroom Substrate Manufacturing Processes.

Alun Michael: Statutory guidance (PG6/30) was issued by the Government on what constitutes Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost for the mushroom substrate sector in February 1992, with a revision in February 1997. A second review of the guidance is currently being undertaken by the Environment Agency's Local Authority Unit. A draft, which can be found of the Agency's website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/lapc/ is currently out for stakeholder comment, with a deadline of 20 January. The guidance will then be forwarded, within approximately two months, to my Department for a final consultation stage, and thereafter published.
	Most processes manufacturing mushroom substrate are regulated under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As such they must be authorised by the relevant local authority with the objective of using the Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost to minimise air polluting emissions, including odour.
	Ultimately it is for local authorities to determine what constitutes Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost for any particular plant. While they must have regard to the statutory guidance, they are not bound by it, and could (subject to appeal) impose more stringent requirements if they considered it necessary and provided they met the relevant statutory test.

Rural Land Register

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of England's land area has been covered by the Rural Payments Agency through their Rural Land Register project.

Alun Michael: The Rural Land Register is designed to cover all fields in England which are registered for IACS purposes. Although this does not cover all agricultural land in England, it includes forage land used to support claims for livestock subsidies. I cannot quantify this precisely but coverage is likely to be in the region of 60–90 per cent. of agricultural land.

Shoreline Management

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which operating authorities have not updated their Shoreline Management Plans in line with High Level Target 8.

Margaret Beckett: The target is for relevant operating authorities to have in place, and provide to DEFRA, a programme for updating Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) in accordance with DEFRA guidance. Further to full consultation, DEFRA has provided revised SMP guidance reflecting the experience gained in producing the original plans. This will be supplemented later this year with more working guidance which is being produced by DEFRA alongside the first three updated SMPs. All the relevant authorities have advised DEFRA of their proposed starting dates for updating SMPs and these are being made available publicly on the DEFRA website.

Water Framework Directive

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on the competitiveness of British farming and the costs of implementation of the water framework directive.

Margaret Beckett: We have undertaken a regulatory impact assessment, which was published in March 2001 as part of The First Consultation Paper on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (available on the Defra website at http://www. defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/waterframe/index.htm). This includes estimates of the costs of complying with the directive and discusses the implications for typical businesses, including farms. Competitiveness is affected by a multitude of factors acting in combination, and it is not possible to identify the effect of this directive in isolation.
	We are working with other members of the European Union as part of a common implementation strategy to ensure a consistent approach to implementing the directive across the European Union. Also, we are currently undertaking a review of diffuse pollution by agriculture to identify the most cost-effective mechanisms for reducing such pollution. This review is considering the full range of policy measures that could be applied, including economic instruments and voluntary action, not just regulation.

DEFENCE

Overarching Personnel Strategy

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how widely the Action Plan for the armed forces Overarching Personnel Strategy is distributed within the Armed Forces; how many people are privy to it; what proportion of the armed forces this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Armed Forces Overarching Personnel Strategy Action Plan is the mechanism by which we measure and monitor the delivery of policy towards our service personnel. The Action Plan is updated annually. It is given a wide distribution to high-level management both within the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces and also to those staff who have a responsibility for delivering the goals contained within it. We do not, however, keep records of people who see the document through the year.

Overarching Personnel Strategy

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the effectiveness of the Armed Forces Overarching Personnel Strategy.

Lewis Moonie: The Armed Forces Overarching Personnel Strategy provides a high level framework for the delivery of service personnel policy.
	The effectiveness of the strategy is kept under review by means of the annual Action Plan which evaluates and monitors progress made in each area.

Afghanistan Operations

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use by British operations in Afghanistan of land-based supply routes in operations (a) Fingal, (b) Jacana, (c) Neritas, (d) Ptarmigan, (e) Snipe, (f) Condor and (g) Buzzard.

Adam Ingram: There have been two main British operations in Afghanistan: Operation Jacana and Operation Fingal. Operation Fingal began in December 2001 and is the on-going United Kingdom support to the International Stabilisation Assistance Force (ISAF), assisting with the provision of security and stability in Kabul. Operation Jacana, which took place from April 2002 to July 2002, was the deployment of 45 commando and elements of 3 commando brigade in support of UK forces operating in south-eastern Afghanistan to deny and destroy the al-Qaeda terrorist infrastructure. Operation Veritas (rather than Neritas) is the name given to the overarching UK contribution to the US-led campaign against international terrorism, and encompasses Operations Fingal and Jacana. Ptarmigan, Snipe, Condor, and Buzzard were names given to objectives within Operation Jacana.
	Common routes have been used for supply to all UK troops in Afghanistan (including during Op Jacana). During the initial period of operations in Afghanistan, all materiel was supplied by air. As the security situation stabilised, it has been possible to develop land supply routes both within Afghanistan and between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. However, land re-supply has been limited to common commodities such as food, fuel, bottled water, and building materials. Military equipment continues to be flown into Afghanistan from the UK.
	There is one land supply route between Pakistan and Afghanistan (Kabul). It has been used to supply the majority of fuel to UK armed forces in Kabul and Bagram. This route is utilised and maintained solely by contractors, who are primarily based in Pakistan. There is a further permanent land supply route within Afghanistan (between Kabul and Bagram), and this is secured and maintained by coalition (including UK) military personnel and civilian contractors.

Army (Retention)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase salaries for soldiers as a means to encourage retention; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Pay rates for the armed forces are recommended annually to the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence by the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB). Under its terms of reference, the Review Body is required to have regard to the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably able and qualified people, taking account of the particular circumstances of Service life. The Ministry of Defence has therefore provided the Review Body with information on the manning situation and those areas it considers merit particular attention. The AFPRB is currently considering its recommendations, and is expected to submit its 2003 report to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence before the end of February 2003.

CBW (Inoculation)

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has adopted improved types of inoculation against CBW attack, developed in the United States since 1991.

Lewis Moonie: We are not aware of any improved types of vaccine against biological warfare agents currently licensed for use in the United States. The only vaccine against biological warfare agents currently licensed for use in the United Kingdom is a vaccine against anthrax. The Ministry of Defence has a range of research, development and procurement programmes aimed at improving our armed forces defences against chemical and biological attack, including programmes to develop new vaccines. This work includes close co-operation and liaison with the United States.
	It is not possible to immunise against chemical warfare agents.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a copy of the programme report known as CDEE 3/61 which was drawn up by scientists from the chemical and biological defence establishment has been placed in the Public Record Office by his Department; and at which classmark in the Public Record Office this document can be found.

Lewis Moonie: The policy of the Public Record Office is to select the final reports of research work and trials for preservation rather than the working documents. Therefore, the trial plan for Programme 3/61 has not been selected for preservation.
	However, a copy of the final report Porton Technical Paper 794, entitled XComparison of radio xenon & zinc cadmium sulphide particle tracers over medium distances of travel", can be found at WO189/1105. Additionally, a copy of the trial plan for programme 3/61 has been located in the historic archive at Dstl Porton Down and can be made available to the hon. Member.

Courts Martial

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many courts martial have taken place in (a) the UK and (b) overseas military bases, in each of the last three years.

Lewis Moonie: The following courts-martial have taken place in the UK and overseas in the last three years:
	
		
			  United Kingdom Overseas  
			 Year RN Army(3) RAF RN Army(3) RAF 
		
		
			 2000 53 278 68 Nil 177 13 
			 2001 59 394 97 Nil 238 12 
			 2002 52 323 54 Nil 158 6 
		
	
	(3) Army figures represent the number of individuals tried.

Courts Martial

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women have appeared before a UK court martial in each of the last three years; what rank they were; and how many were found (i) guilty and (ii) not guilty.

Lewis Moonie: The following tables show the numbers of men and women, by Service and rank, that have appeared before United Kingdom courts martial in the last three years, together with the subsequent findings.
	
		Royal Navy
		
			  2000 2001 2002  
			  Guilty Not guilty Guilty Not guilty Guilty Not guilty 
		
		
			 Male   
			 Captain — — — — 1 — 
			 Commander 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Lt Cdr 3 — 2 — 3 — 
			 Lieutenant 5 — 8 — 4 1 
			 Warrant Officer 1 — — — — — 
			 Chief Petty Officer 6 — 3 2 3 1 
			 Petty Officer 3 — 1 2 5 1 
			 Leading Hand(4) 5 3 8 3 6 1 
			 Junior rate 12 8 17 4 24 4 
			 Sergeant RM — 1 — — — — 
			 Corporal RM — 2 1 — — — 
			 Marine — — 1 — — — 
			
			 Female   
			 Lieutenant 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Leading Hand 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Junior rate 1 2 4 3 2 1 
		
	
	(4) Although nine Leading Hands were tried by court-martial in 2000, the trial of one was dissolved without reaching a finding.
	
		Army
		
			  2000 2001 2002  
			  Guilty Not guilty Guilty Not guilty Guilty Not guilty 
		
		
			 Male   
			 Lt Colonel — — — — — — 
			 Major 2 1 1 2 2 — 
			 Captain 2 — 1 1 — 2 
			 Lieutenant — — — — 1 — 
			 Warrant Officer 1 — 1 — 1 2 — 
			 Warrant Officer 2 2 2 3 1 4 1 
			 S Sergeant 4 2 12 4 6 1 
			 Sergeant 10 2 11 4 11 4 
			 Corporal 14 4 29 21 15 4 
			 L Corporal 18 5 26 10 28 5 
			 Private 187 15 231 25 220 10 
			 Civilian — — 2 1 — 1 
			
			 Female   
			 Corporal 1 — — — 2 1 
			 L Corporal — — 3 — — 1 
			 Private 4 2 3 — 1 1 
		
	
	
		RAF
		
			  2000 2001 2002  
			  Guilty Not guilty Guilty Not guilty Guilty Not guilty 
		
		
			 Male   
			  
			 Sqn Leader — 1 — — — 1 
			 Flt Lt 3 2 4 1 1 — 
			 Fg Offr 1 — — — — — 
			 Plt Offr — — 1 — 1 — 
			 WO — — — — — — 
			 Flt Sgt 1 2 — — — — 
			 Chf Tech — — — — — — 
			 Sergeant 3 3 2 2 1 — 
			 Corporal 10 0 33 1 3 — 
			 Jnr Tech 1 2 5 2 1 2 
			 SAC 21 10 28 9 16 13 
			 LAC 1 1 2 — 2 — 
			 AC 2 2 1 — — 3 
			  — — — — — — 
			 Female   
			 Corporal — — — — 1 1 
			 SAC 1 1 5 1 6 — 
			 AC — — — — 2 —

Courts Martial

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women have been sentenced to a period of detention by a UK military court martial in each of the last three years.

Lewis Moonie: The following number of men and women have been sentenced to a period of detention by United Kingdom courts-martial in the last three years:
	
		
			  Male Female  
			 Year RN Army RAF RN Army RAF 
		
		
			 2000 11 163 19 1 4 Nil 
			 2001 18 216 30 2 3 Nil 
			 2002 26 205 12 2 1 5 
		
	
	The above figures included suspended sentences of detention.

Courts Martial

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the longest period of detention was to which (a) a man and (b) a woman has been sentenced by a UK military court martial in each of the last three years.

Lewis Moonie: The longest period of military detention which was awarded to a male and female member of each Service over the past three years is as follows:
	
		
			  Male Female  
			 Year RN Army RAF RN Army RAF 
		
		
			 2000 9 months(5) 1 year 9 months 9 months(6) 140 days Nil 
			 2001 9 months 1 year 2 months 29 days 1 year 90 days 112 days Nil 
			 2002 9 months 1 year 2 months 9 months 28 days 42 days 1 12 days 
		
	
	(5) Subsequently reduced to six months.
	(6) Suspended.

Detention Centres

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military detention centres in the UK.

Lewis Moonie: There is only one military detention centre, the Military Corrective Training Centre at Berechurch Hill Camp, Colchester, Essex. Servicemen and women from all three Services who are sentenced by courts-martial to undergo periods of detention serve their sentence there.

Detention Centres

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent organisations oversee the running of UK military detention centres; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC), Colchester, Essex, is visited on a regular basis by an independent Board of Visitors comprising twelve people. The Board is appointed by my right hon .Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and reports directly to him. MCTC is also included in visits by the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, who last visited on 12 and 13 February 2001 during a tour of United Kingdom penal establishments generally.

Development Sites

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times since 1997 his Department has claimed money back from developers under clawback in the sale of sites for development because of the change in the level of development; what the total amount claimed is; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Information on the total clawback receipts that have been claimed by the Ministry of Defence from the sale of sites for the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 is given in the XStewardship Report of the Defence Estate 2001." These figures are based on the following number of cases.
	
		
			 Financial Year Amount Claimed (#million) Number of cases 
		
		
			 1996–97 0.781 3 
			 1997–98 1.084 3 
			 1998–99 3.386 3 
			 1999–2000 3.269 8 
			 2000–01 1.405 9 
		
	
	Further clawback receipts amounting to #4.305 million were claimed in nine cases during Financial Year 2001–02.

Fraud

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in his Department, who are under investigation for potential fraud, have been suspended for (a) up to a year, (b) over one year and (c) over two years.

Lewis Moonie: Reported cases of suspected fraud are recorded centrally on a summary basis only and detailed information on periods of suspension relating to individuals under investigation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

General Service Medal (Suez)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to award a General Service Medal to those involved in the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Lewis Moonie: Service in Operation Musketeer, the Anglo/French Landings during the Suez Crisis of late 1956, was marked by the institution of the General Service Medal 1918–1962 with clasp near east. It has been available for many years, and is still issued by the Ministry of Defence's four medal offices to eligible veterans who may not have applied previously for the medal.

Global Security

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what other nations are involved in discussions with the UK and the US regarding a co-operative programme to develop defences which enhance global security.

Geoff Hoon: In November 2002, the 19 NATO member states initiated a new feasibility study to examine options for protecting alliance territory, forces and population centres against the full range of missile threats. The United States also has bilateral discussions with a number of countries (including the United Kingdom) on territorial missile defence.

Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the inoculation against CBW attack, to be given to Royal Naval and Royal Marines personnel in the event of hostilities against Iraq, will be different from that used during the 1990–91 Gulf War.

Lewis Moonie: The United Kingdom anthrax vaccine is manufactured using a process developed during the 1950s and first licensed in 1979. Anthrax vaccinations currently offered to United Kingdom Service personnel, and those used during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict, were both manufactured using this process. The vaccine is manufactured in accordance with the requirements of the product licence. All doses currently being administered to Service personnel will have been manufactured within the last two years.
	It is not possible to immunise against chemical warfare agents.

Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received requests from the United States for (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Marines resources for use in a possible military campaign against Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: As I told the House on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 126W, the United States approached a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, seeking support in the event that military action against Iraq proves necessary. I responded to this approach on 26 November, identifying the kind of contribution we might make, should that be required.
	As I have made clear to the House, this request was part of a confidential exchange between Governments. I am withholding details of the exchange in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that information which is appropriate for his Department to release about preparations for a military campaign against Iraq is released to the House of Commons prior to release to the media.

Geoff Hoon: Announcements are made in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
	Defence Ministers take seriously their responsibilities to Parliament. I have made two oral statements to inform the House of decisions about our contingency preparations on 18 December 2002, Official Report, columns 845–58W, and 7 January 2003, Official Report, columns 23–29W.
	On that occasion, I undertook to inform the House of any further decisions at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, I will continue to keep the House informed of progress in continuing preparatory activities via written ministerial statements and other appropriate means.

Iraq

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what UN Resolutions (a) the no-fly zone over Iraq, (b) British participation in policing it and (c) bombing as a means of enforcement or retaliation are based.

Geoff Hoon: The Royal Air Force, alongside coalition partners, patrols the Iraqi no-fly zones in support of UNSCR 688, which demands that Saddam Hussein immediately end the brutal repression of his own people.
	Coalition aircraft are authorised to respond in self-defence to sustained efforts by the Iraqi air defence system to engage our aircrew carrying out these legitimate patrols. They do so, in accordance with international law, only against Iraqi integrated air defence targets posing a direct threat to the safety of our forces.

Iraq

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to send more troops to the Gulf; whether armoured regiments are to be sent; and what increases in naval and air forces are planned.

Geoff Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to my recent statement on 7 January 2003, Official Report, columns 23–39, in which I announced the deployment later this month of substantial maritime forces. The vessels will conduct training in the Mediterranean with a view to proceeding to the Gulf region if and as necessary.
	No decision has been taken to authorise military action against Iraq. Our military contingency planning aims to allow the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. This includes measures to ensure the availability of a range of units, and the preparation and movement of equipment that may be required. I will continue to inform Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity as and when decisions are taken to deploy additional forces.
	The Ministry of Defence also routinely takes part in long-planned exercises in the Gulf region at the invitation of Governments in the region with which we have strong bilateral defence relationships. Recent media reporting has confused this with deployments for potential military action against Iraq.

NATO

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 11W, if he will make it his policy to discuss with NATO defence ministers the implications for NATO's naval capabilities of the creation of (a) an EU rapid reaction capability and (b) a France-Germany defence union.

Geoff Hoon: I take every opportunity to discuss with NATO colleagues the need for improved capabilities, including in the naval sphere, particularly in the context of the Prague capabilities commitment, launched at the Prague summit in November 2002, and the European security and defence policy. We are not aware of any specific plans for a France-Germany defence union.

NATO

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the implications for NATO's naval capabilities of the creation of (a) an EU rapid reaction capability and (b) a France-Germany defence union.

Geoff Hoon: The Rapid Response concept under development by the EU will be compatible with work on the NATO Response Force, and will therefore not result in any change to the level of naval forces declared to NATO.
	We are not aware of any specific plans to create a France-Germany defence union.

Public-private Partnerships

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many departmental minutes issued by his Department were outstanding on 30 November 2002 that referred to public-private partnerships, as included in Table B14 of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts; and what their value was.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 13 January 2003
	There were none.

Royal Army Medical Corps

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regular and reserve units are entitled to use the badge of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Lewis Moonie: All regular and reserve force personnel of the Royal Army Medical Corps are entitled to wear the badge of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Royal Navy and Royal Marines Families' Association

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the funding of the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Families' Association (RNRMFA);
	(2)  when the new agency to replace the RNRMFA will be set up; what performance indicators have been set for the new agency; who will be responsible for monitoring those indicators; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  who made the decision to withdraw funding for the RNRMFA; on what basis was the decision made to withdraw the funding; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what performance indicators have been set for the RNRMFA; which of these has not been met in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will make a statement on the independence of the agency that will replace the RNRMFA.

Lewis Moonie: Public funding for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Families' Association commenced under the terms of an agreed Charter in 1999. No formal performance indicators were set for the Association, but the Charter laid down its objectives and other requirements. Funding was withdrawn from October 2002 because the Association had consistently failed to meet its objectives, and had also failed to meet other requirements of the Charter, including the production of annual reports and accounts and the maintenance of an appropriate management structure. The decision to withdraw funding was made by the Second Sea Lord, as the top level budget holder accountable for these funds.
	The Department's aim in setting up the Association was to develop an independent organisation to represent the views of Naval Service families. This remains our firm intention and we intend that a new body, with the title, 'Naval Families' Federation', will be in place this spring. We are considering a number of options to ensure that the new Federation grows safely into a well-managed and independent body, preferably with charitable status. This will include the use of carefully selected performance indicators, and the achievements of the Federation against these indicators will be monitored by the Second Sea Lord's Personal and Family Service staff.

Service Accommodation (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many single accommodation places there are for each of the services in each location in Scotland for (a) officers and (b) other ranks; how many service personnel could be accommodated on shore in Scotland if all the available accommodation was utilised; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Terror Attacks

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities exist to protect Royal Naval (a) personnel, (b) ships, by class, and (c) shore bases from contamination by chemical, biological or radioactive attack.

Adam Ingram: Royal Navy personnel have individual decontamination and protective equipment, which includes respirators, protective suit, boots and gloves and a range of medical countermeasures common across all three Services.
	Royal Navy warships are equipped with both fixed and portable nuclear and chemical detection equipment. All Royal Navy ships, with the exception of the survey vessels, have a citadel as an integral part of their design. This area provides a positively pressurised, toxic-free environment supplied with filtered air. In the ships with no citadel, a range of 'sanctuary procedures' is followed to avoid ingestion of contaminated materials.
	Ships can also be protected by spraying sea water over the upper deck to remove contamination and to minimise the subsequent decontamination effort. Likewise, ships carry equipment to decontaminate any aircraft and vehicles aboard.
	There is a requirement for all RN personnel, ashore in the United Kingdom, to train annually to the NATO required standard for Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) protection and for contingency forces to be trained and equipped to operate in an NBC environment. There is no specific NBC protective equipment for shore bases, but the use could be made of ships alongside at the time of an attack and ad hoc decontamination facilities would be created.

Terror Attacks

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what modifications there have been since 11 September 2001 in training of (a) Royal Naval and (b) Royal Marines personnel to deal with chemical, biological or radiological attack.

Adam Ingram: The level of training given to Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel to deal with chemical, biological and nuclear attack post 11 September has been fully reviewed. As a result, one modification has been made to the training undertaken by personnel who are serving in warship and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. This is the re-introduction of practical nuclear biological and chemical (NBC) defence training as part of the core operational sea training syllabus. All naval personnel currently undertake a half day NBC defence training module prior to serving at sea at the facility located within the Maritime Warfare School at Whale Island, in Portsmouth. An increased awareness of the NBC threat has been incorporated into all appropriate courses.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ethical Banking

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contracts have been concluded as a result of the Government's commitment to support ethical banking.

Clare Short: None.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what fair trade criteria she sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use.

Clare Short: We take every opportunity to promote the use of fair trade products. We do not normally set fair trade criteria when deciding what suppliers to use. The contract for DFID refreshment facilities does require that a range of fair trade products is available.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries that have received help through the HIPC process who now have debt repayments that are sustainable; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Twenty-six countries have qualified for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Of these, six countries (Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda) have reached their completion point and are receiving full debt relief. The remaining 20 (Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia) are receiving interim relief. The main objective of the initiative is to ensure that countries exit the HIPC process with sustainable levels of debt. The HIPC Initiative has the flexibility to provide, when appropriate, additional debt relief at completion point. The UK is pressing the World bank and the IMF to widen their approach to topping up, so that any HIPC eligible country facing unsustainable debts, that has demonstrated its commitment to poverty reduction and economic reform, should qualify for this additional relief.

Khmer Rouge

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to promote bringing to justice members of the former Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	We are working with other interested states towards the establishment of a UN-supported tribunal to bring to justice those Khmer Rouge leaders most responsible for the atrocities committed during their regime (1975–79). We therefore welcome the recent resumption of talks between Cambodian and United Nations negotiators in New York. We remain prepared to offer advice and financial support for a UN-supported tribunal.

Swaziland

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of sex education, with particular reference to education about AIDS/HIV, for young people in Swaziland.

Clare Short: My Department believes that improved education about HIV/AIDS is a vital part in the effort to combat the epidemic. The Southern Africa Soul City Programme, which my Department is supporting, aims to educate young people through out-reach programmes that deal with de-stigmatisation, raising HIV/AIDS awareness and promoting behavioural change.

Swaziland

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much money her Department gave towards AIDS/HIV programmes in Swaziland in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002;
	(2)  how much money her Department is giving towards AIDS/HIV programmes in Swaziland this year; and how the programmes will be delivered.

Clare Short: My Department currently supports the HIV/AIDS response in Swaziland through three technical assistance programmes covering the Southern Africa region: the SADC Regional HIV/AIDS programme that supports activities in Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland; the Central and Southern Africa HIV/AIDS programme that focuses on strengthening the response of multilateral organisations; and the Southern Africa Soul City Programme that uses mass media to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS. Our financial year expenditure through regional HIV/AIDS programmes has been:
	
		# 
		
			 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 831,527 761,134 851,565 
		
	
	It is not possible to specify the proportion of this which has been spent in Swaziland.

Swaziland

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with NGOs on the food shortage in Swaziland; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My Department has conducted two humanitarian assessment missions to Swaziland in the last three months. On both missions, local and international NGOs were consulted. The current humanitarian crisis in Swaziland is serious, and my Department is providing support through The World Food Programme.

Swaziland

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with King Mswati of Swaziland on (a) the provision of antivirus drugs and (b) the food shortage in that country, and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: I have not had any discussions with King Mswati of Swaziland on (a) the provision of antiviral drugs or on (b) the food shortages, but my Department and the British High Commission is in regular touch with the Government of Swaziland.
	Swaziland has benefited from our support to the World Food programme's regional humanitarian programmes covering also Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, and Angola.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the resolution passed in November 2002 by the European Parliament on the present situation in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The European Parliament's resolution raised a number of important issues on the situation in Bangladesh, which we ourselves have raised with the Bangladeshi authorities. The Bangladesh government has argued that the resolution does not give a fully representational view of the situation in Bangladesh. We continue to work closely with our European partners in raising human rights and other concerns with the Bangladesh authorities.

Bangladesh

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Bangladeshi government on the reported deaths that have taken place in police custody in recent months in that country;
	(2)  what discussions he has had on recent reports concerning custodial deaths in Bangladesh in recent months;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Bangladeshi government on their policy known as Operation Clean Heart; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: While the countermeasures being taken under XOperation Clean Heart" may have had some impact in combating the law and order problem in Bangladesh, we are concerned by reports of mistreatment of detainees, including deaths in custody. During her visit to Bangladesh in December, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (Sally Keeble), raised our concerns with the Bangladesh Home Minister. Our High Commission also regularly discusses human rights with the Bangladesh government. We look for the due process of law to be followed in all cases, and for the action of security forces and for the treatment of detainees to comply with internationally agreed minimum standards.

Bangladesh

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Bangladeshi Government on (a) the development of democracy and human rights, (b) the setting up of Parliamentary committees, and (c) the protection of minorities in that country.

Mike O'Brien: Our High Commission in Dhaka regularly raises with the Bangladesh authorities the need for Parliamentary reform and advocates the benefits of Parliamentary committees. We welcome the contact between our two parliaments, including last year's visits to London by Bangladeshi parliamentarians and to Bangladesh by members of the UK Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. We continue to urge the Bangladesh government and opposition parties to work together in the interests of democracy. We also continue to encourage respect for human rights, including for the rights of minorities.

Equatorial Guinea (Presidential Elections)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the fairness of the presidential elections held in Equatorial Guinea on 15 December.

Bill Rammell: We are concerned at reports of election irregularities. These concerns were reflected in the EU's Declaration of 18 December which focused on the lack of opposition representation, the fact that opposition leaders are either in prison or in exile, and that the recommendations on human rights observance and governance of the UN Special Representatives had not been followed through. The EU statement also urged the government of Equatorial Guinea to extend a political amnesty for the opposition, and, with the opposition, to hold an all-inclusive political dialogue on advancing democratisation and establishing guarantees for the respect of human rights.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have provided the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission with background intelligence briefings on the material within its dossier on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction published on 24 September 2002.

Mike O'Brien: Yes.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of the Government's dossier on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction published on 24 September 2002 have been provided to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission.

Mike O'Brien: A copy of the Government's dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was passed to UNMOVIC in New York on the day of its publication. The dossier is also available on the Internet.
	It is up to UNMOVIC to decide on how further to disseminate the information contained in it.

TRANSPORT

Air Proximity Incidents (Newcastle Airport)

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are in place to reduce the risk of air proximity incidents involving civilian and RAF aircraft in the approaches of Newcastle Airport; and whether these include a corridor of controlled airspace.

John Spellar: Aircraft on approach or departure to Newcastle Airport are protected by a Controlled Zone (CTZ) and the Northern Off-Route Co-ordination Area (NORCA) which links Newcastle and controlled airspace near Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA). NORCA is permanently active and military aircraft requiring to enter it need to obtain an Air Traffic Control (ATC) service from nominated Military ATC Units. On 20 March 2003, NORCA is to be replaced by a corridor of Class A controlled airspace. This will afford extra protection, and further measures to enhance air safety may be introduced next year.
	The MOD and CAA have also: mandated the use of a secondary radar transponder on military aircraft; instructed military pilots to make an information call to Newcastle when operating near the CTZ; improved the arrangements during military exercises near Newcastle; and arranged better co-ordination between RAF Spadeadam and Newcastle ATC.

Carbon Emissions

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on reducing carbon emissions from aircraft.

David Jamieson: The Government's policy is to work with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to limit or reduce all emissions from aircraft, including carbon. This work is essentially aimed at developing cleaner technology and operating practices, and market-based measures to incentivise the sector to use them.

Carbon Emissions

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of (a) the amount in tonnes of carbon emissions and (b) the proportion of total United Kindom carbon emissions represented by emissions from aircraft (i) using United Kingdom airports and (ii) overflying the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: Data on carbon emissions from aircraft and the proportion of total carbon emissions are published annually in 'Transport Statistics Great Britain' (in Tables 2.8 and 2.9 on pages 40 and 41 respectively in the 2002 Edition). The information requested on overflying aircraft is not available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Business Links

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many chief executives of Business Links are (a) men and (b) women.

Nigel Griffiths: The 45 Business Link Operators areas in England are covered by 42 Business Link Operator Chief Executives of which 30 are men and 12 are women.

Company Insolvencies (Scotland)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her assessment is of the trend in company insolvencies in Scotland.

Helen Liddell: I have been asked to reply.
	Official data indicates that company insolvencies in Scotland have generally been on an upward trend since 1995. The latest figures released show there were 184 company liquidations in the third quarter of 2002, bringing the cumulative total for the year thus far to 599. The estimated number of company insolvencies for the full year is 800, indicating an increase of around a third on the previous year. New company formation has also increased over the same period.
	The number of companies becoming insolvent in Scotland represents less than 1 per cent. of those registered and this proportion has remained fairly constant over recent years.

European Trans-Sonic Wind Tunnel

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support her Department is giving to the European Trans-Sonic Wind Tunnel.

Alan Johnson: The Department's financial contribution for operation of the ETW business is paid from the DTI's civil aeronautics research programme budget.
	The Department's share of the UK contribution is forecast at #281k for the calendar year 2002. The Ministry of Defence pays the remainder of the UK contribution, forecast at #186k, in 2002. The DTI contribution is likely to increase to #400k in 2003 when the Ministry of Defence is forecast to pay #85k, reflecting their reduced level of contribution.

Public-private Partnerships

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many departmental minutes issued by her Department were outstanding on 30 November, that referred to public private partnerships as included in Table B14 of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts; and what their value was.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 13 January 2003
	There were no departmental minutes, as included in Table B14 of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts, outstanding on 30th November that referred to public private partnerships.

Project Guarantees (Qatar)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in respect of which projects guarantees were issued with respect to Qatar in 1995.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The guarantees issued were in respect of spares for naval vessels.

Small Business Council

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the work being carried out by the Small Business Council to lessen the impact of regulations on small businesses; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: I am encouraged by the work the Small Business Council does at an early stage of policy development to inform Ministers and officials of the needs and concerns of small businesses, and by the effect this will have on the productivity and profitability of this important segment of the economy.
	The SBC has been involved in or is currently working on:
	The strengthened guidance on the Small Firms Impact Test;
	The Pensions Green Paper
	The Inland Revenue's Construction Industry Scheme (CIS);
	Flexible Working Hours and Temporary Workers (a European Directive);
	A number of the consultation documents e.g. that on commencement dates for changes to employment law on the review of Employment Status;
	The simplification of Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme;
	Other business support schemes e.g. the Xtime off for training" issue, suggesting possible alternatives to legislation.
	In addition the SBC has submitted evidence to the Parliamentary Select Committee with regard to Planning and the Chair of the Council attends the Ministerial Panel on Regulatory Accountability.

Staffordshire Business Link

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the performance of Staffordshire Business Link since April 2001.

Nigel Griffiths: Business Link Staffordshire has performed well since April 2001. During the 2001–02 financial year the Business Link Operator had an average quarterly usage rate 1 above the England average. Working with over 5,000 individual businesses they achieved an annual penetration rate of 15.8 per cent. Overall satisfaction with the service provided was 85.5 per cent. compared to the England average of 81.1 per cent.
	In 2002–03 at the six-month stage they had a penetration rate of 17.1 per cent. compared to the England average of 13.5 per cent., with overall satisfaction running at 81 per cent.
	The Business Link Operator generally performs well as part of the regional network taking its share of responsibility on regional initiatives and working with the SBS regional team and Advantage West Midlands. They also made a significant contribution with their partners in Staffordshire in response to the foot and mouth outbreak and its resultant effects on farms and businesses.
	1 Usage Rate—Number of businesses/individuals using Business Link services counted on a quarterly basis. Different from penetration rate as includes the possibility of counting a business in more than one quarter. England penetration rate not available for 2001–02.

Theft/Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Patricia Hewitt: Fraud
	In the financial year 2001–02 the cost of fraud to the Department was #6k. The Department's NDPBs and Agencies are included in this figure.
	Theft
	The cost of theft for 2002 was #65,131. Items lost from non-DTI HQ premises may not have been included in this figure. The Department's NDPBs and Agencies are not included in this figure.
	The DTI does not hold information on thefts within NDPBs.
	The information on theft is being sought from Agencies and will be provided as soon as possible.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Sports Colleges

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has (a) to increase the number of specialist sports colleges and (b) to speed up the process of accreditation; and if she will make a statement.

David Miliband: There are currently 992 specialist schools in England of which 161 are specialist sports colleges. On 2 October 2002, the Prime Minister announced that there would be 240 new Specialist Sports Colleges by the end of 2005.
	On 28 November 2002, Charles Clarke announced that the cap on funding for the expansion of the Specialist Schools Programme has been lifted. This means that any school which meets the required standard will be able to become a specialist school. A new partnership fund will be set up to help schools which have experienced genuine difficulty in raising sponsorship.
	The Youth Sport Trust is part funded by the Department for Education and Skills to work with schools seeking to become specialist sports colleges to secure that sufficient high quality applications come forward.

Union Learning Representatives

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Union Learning Representatives there are in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 7 January 2003
	There is currently one Union Learning Representative in the Department. My officials are working with the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the main Civil Service union, on how best to promote the development of Union Learning Representatives within the Department.

Accreditation

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department is doing to support the Government's policy on accreditation.

Ivan Lewis: The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is recognised by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, as the sole national body for the accreditation, against international standards, of certification and inspection bodies, testing and calibration laboratories. The Department for Education and Skills will use UKAS accreditation services whenever it is appropriate to do so. For example, we are exploring with the Guidance Accreditation Board, which is sponsored by the Department, the appropriateness of the UKAS accreditation process to its work.

Admissions Consultation Paper

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reason the consultation paper on admissions did not meet the Government's code of practice on good government recommendations on minimum consultation periods.

David Miliband: The new Regulations and Codes of Practice were finished later than planned because the Education Act 2002 did not receive Royal Assent until late July. The consultation schedule had to be compressed, to have the Regulations and Codes ready to come into effect from January 2003, so that admission authorities could have regard to them when consulting on their admission arrangements for September 2004. But much of the content was similar to that of September 2001's XConsultation on School Admissions", which had a longer consultation period; and we supported the latest written consultation with a number of meetings around the country, at which over 400 local authority representatives and head teachers were able to give their views on the Regulations and Codes.

Social Work Students (Bursary Scheme)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will cancel all debts incurred by social work students in the two years leading to the introduction of the Bursary Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The DfES scheme of remitting student loan debt is restricted to certain teachers for whose recruitment and retention this Department has responsibility. Social work students are in the same position as any other higher education students in repaying student loans. Policy on social work training is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

Capita Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by his Department.

Stephen Twigg: My Department has awarded a number of contracts with Capita for a range of different services. These are as follows:
	Teachers' Pensions:
	Administration of the Teachers' Pensions Scheme.
	Connexions Card:
	Development of the Connexions Card.
	Consultancy Framework Contracts:
	Framework contract to provide general management consultancy support and consultancy support for LEA interventions.
	Executive Recruitment and Search:
	Framework contract to provide executive recruitment services.
	The above are all existing contracts within my Department.

Class Sizes

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will include a question concerning pupil turnover in future Form 7 measures of class size and composition.

David Miliband: There are no plans to analyse routinely class size statistics by pupil turnover.

Class Sizes

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many infant classes had 31 or more pupils as a result of a statement of special educational needs specifying that a child should attend a particular school in September 2002.

David Miliband: Provisional figures show that in September 2002 there were 47 infant classes taught by one teacher which had 31 or more pupils as a result of a statement of special educational needs specifying that a child should attend a particular school.
	Provisional infant class size information for September 2002 was published on 20 November 2002 in the statistical first release entitled, XInfant Class Sizes in England: September 2002". This showed that nationally there were 307 classes of 31 or more pupils of which 288 were recorded as acceptable under the Education (Infant Class Sizes) Regulations 1998.

Classroom Assistants

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he has estimated what impact the introduction of classroom assistants has made on teacher workload; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: This will depend on exactly how the support staff are deployed and managed but we have estimated that every additional 10,000 support staff could save every teacher on average at least 50 minutes per week.
	We shortly expect to conclude a Workforce Reform Agreement with virtually all the teacher unions and support staff unions and employers, who agree with us that extra support staff are critical to tackling excessive teacher workload.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which Connexions Partnerships (a) are operational, (b) are still to take effect, (c) offer a one-stop shop service and (d) offer Connexions Direct.

Ivan Lewis: The information is as follows:
	(a) There are currently 46 out of 47 Connexions Partnerships operating in England.
	(b) Just one remaining Partnership, Northumberland, has yet to start and is aiming to commence operation from April 2003.
	(c) All Connexions Partnerships are developing one-stop services where a range of multi-agency services can easily be accessed in a single location, with flexible opening hours to suit the needs of young people.
	(d) The Connexions Partnerships currently operating in the Connexions Direct pilot are Durham, Tyne and Wear, Tees Valley, Cheshire and Warrington, Greater Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) young people of the relevant age group and (b) personal advisors there are in the area of each Connexions Partnership; and what the ratio of (a) to (b) is in each case.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is given in the following table.
	The majority of Connexions Partnerships are currently in the process of recruiting Personal Advisers and securing support from other agencies working with young people. In most case the figures in the table do not therefore reflect the final complement of Personal Advisers in Partnerships. In addition to the 6,952 Personal Advisers in post in Partnerships in November 2002, Connexions services are being delivered by a further 1,652 front line delivery staff whose main role is client/customer contact making a total of 8,604 Connexions delivery staff available to help young people.
	
		
			  (a) Connexions partnerships (000s) personal advisers (Pas) (b) 13–19 Cohort: PA (c) Ratio 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 56 101 554 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 120 195 616 
			 Black Country 115 168 683 
			 Bournemouth Dorset and Poole 49 80 610 
			 Cambs and Peterbro 63 82 770 
			 Central London 77 235 326 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 85 183 468 
			 Cornwall and Devon 137 201 682 
			 County Durham 45 67 664 
			 Coventry and Warwick 68 152 446 
			 Cumbria 48 103 471 
			 Derbyshire 79 157 501 
			 East London 186 285 652 
			 Essex Southend and Thurrock 153 144 1,059 
			 Gloucestershire 45 51 881 
			 Greater Manchester 261 406 643 
			 Greater Merseyside 140 342 408 
			 Hereford and Worcester 65 110 590 
			 Hertfordshire 84 95 880 
			 Humber 84 227 370 
			 Kent 124 150 823 
			 Lancashire 124 201 617 
			 Leicestershire 76 110 691 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 57 68 827 
			 Milton Keynes Ox and Bucks 106 199 530 
			 North London 74 149 498 
			 North Yorkshire 66 128 518 
			 Northamptonshire 55 57 978 
			 Nottinghamshire 96 135 705 
			 Shropshire Telford and Wrekin 32 69 458 
			 Somerset 37 80 455 
			 South Central 147 168 874 
			 South London 96 152 630 
			 South Yorkshire 120 261 460 
			 Staffordshire 92 149 618 
			 Suffolk 66 78 845 
			 Surrey 68 72 939 
			 Sussex 103 173 595 
			 Tees Valley 75 117 643 
			 Tyne and Wear 100 193 518 
			 West London 94 113 831 
			 West Yorkshire 79 282 706 
			 West of England 199 409 192 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 45 55 812 
			 England 4,088 6,952 588 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data relates to November 2002—the latest period for which information is available and is taken from NEXUS, the Connexions Service National Unit management information system.
	2. No data is included for Norfolk and Berkshire Partnerships which started in January 2003 and Northumberland which will start in April 2003.
	3. Personal Adviser numbers include those funded through the Connexions Services Grant and those seconded and supported by other organisations in the Partnership.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his target maximum wait is for an appointment with (a) a Connexions personal adviser and (b) a careers adviser.

Ivan Lewis: The Connexions service has a broad remit: to offer to all young people between 13 and 19 information, advice and guidance (including on careers) to improve participation and achievement in learning, and to signpost personal development opportunities. Since type and level of need is a key determinant of the kind of personal adviser support made available, it is not appropriate to set maximum waiting times. Rather, the Connexions service has developed access to personal adviser support via a wide range of traditional and modern-day channels. In addition to conventional appointment systems, personal advisers are available on a Xdrop-in" basis in schools or colleges as well as in High Street Connexions centres, that are open at times young people want. Instant access is a key feature of Connexions Direct, a telephone and web-based service currently being trialled in several areas of England. Here, support is available from 8 am to 2 am seven days per week and 365 days per year. This is in fulfilment of one of the key Connexions principles: to design and deliver the service around the needs of young people and to listen to their views.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria he will use to judge the effectiveness of Connexions Partnerships in (a) providing a vibrant high quality youth service, (b) making many more young people active citizens, (c) engaging many more young people in developmental activities and (d) ensuring that parents, carers and teachers are supportive of Connexions, as set out in Youth Support Services for 13 to 19-year-olds: A Vision for 2006.

Ivan Lewis: The Government set out its future vision for the Connexions Service in XYouth Support Services for 13 to 19-year-olds: A vision for 2006". This is a forward-looking document, which shows how Connexions will bring together a range of existing agencies to deliver seamless support for 13 to 19-year-olds, and reduce the number of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in learning or work. We will use the following criteria to judge progress towards meeting the vision:
	Youth Services
	The Department has published a clear statement of what is expected of local education authorities who are responsible for delivering youth services. In December 2002 the Government launched the document XTransforming Youth Work Resourcing Excellent Youth Services" which provides a cross-Government view of the key elements of a high quality, well managed and properly resourced youth service. The document underpins the Transforming Youth Work programme and the Government's commitment to work with local authorities to ensure the delivery of a high quality youth service for young people which is at the heart of the Connexions Service.
	Making more young people active citizens and engaging them in developmental activities
	This aspect will be assessed by the extent to which Connexions Partnerships provide access to opportunities for young people to broaden their horizons, develop their talents and become actively engaged in their communities, through for example Millennium Volunteers and other volunteering initiatives, sports, arts and recreational activities; and through specific programmes such as the Neighbourhood Support Fund.
	Support for Connexions from parents, carers and teachers
	The views of young people and a range of key stakeholders involved in Partnerships will be sought on a regular basis through a comprehensive programme of opinion surveys starting in December 2002. In addition, the findings of national and local evaluations, the self-assessments undertaken by Partnerships and the outcome of Ofsted inspections will be used to assess progress and inform the development of Connexions Partnerships.
	One of the key criteria for judging the overall effectiveness of Connexions Partnerships will be the progress they make towards meeting their target of reducing the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds not in learning and work. With the exception of recently established Partnerships, all Partnerships have been set a target of reducing by 10 per cent. the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment and training by November 2004.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16 to 18 year-olds are not in education, training or employment in each of the Connexions Partnership areas.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		
			 Connexions Partnerships Percentage NEET 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 11 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 14 
			 Black Country 13 
			 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole 7 
			 Cambridge and Peterborough 10 
			 Central London 15 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 7 
			 Cornwall and Devon 7 
			 County Durham 18 
			 Coventry and Warwick 10 
			 Cumbria 8 
			 Derbyshire 10 
			 East London 12 
			 Essex, Southend and Thurrock 8 
			 Gloucestershire 4 
			 Greater Manchester 10 
			 Greater Merseyside 12 
			 Hereford and Worcester 7 
			 Hertfordshire 5 
			 Humber 10 
			 Kent 5 
			 Lancashire 10 
			 Leicestershire 9 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 6 
			 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 6 
			 North London 10 
			 North Yorkshire 6 
			 Northamptonshire 7 
			 Nottinghamshire 8 
			 Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin 6 
			 Somerset 5 
			 South Central 5 
			 South London 8 
			 South Yorkshire 12 
			 Staffordshire 11 
			 Suffolk 8 
			 Surrey 2 
			 Sussex 6 
			 Tees Valley 14 
			 Tyne and Wear 17 
			 West London 10 
			 West of England 7 
			 West Yorkshire 10 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 6 
			 England 9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data relate to November 2002—the latest period for which information is available and is taken from NEXUS, the Connexions Service National Unit management information system.
	2. No data are included for Norfolk and Berkshire Partnerships which started in January 2003, and Northumberland which will start in April 2003.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what outcome-driven performance targets he has set for (a) the Connexions service and (b) each Connexions Partnership.

Ivan Lewis: Connexions Partnerships have been set a target of reducing by 10 per cent. the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds that are not participating in employment, education and training between November 2002 and 2004.
	Connexions Partnerships are also working in support of a range of other local and nationally based targets covering young people aged 13–19, with a particular focus on those young people who require intensive support.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the annual budget is of (a) the Connexions Service National Unit and (b) each Connexions Partnership.

Ivan Lewis: The total running costs budget for the Connexions Service National Unit (CSNU) in 2002–03 is #5.791 million (budgets are not yet agreed for 2003–04).
	CSNU is responsible for a range of programme budgets including the main Connexions Service budget, which totals #449 million in 2002–03. Of that total, #337 million is allocated directly to Connexions Partnerships through the Connexions grant, while roughly one half of the remainder (c. #52 million ) is used to maintain careers services in those areas where Connexions Partnerships are not yet operational. A further third (c. #35 million) goes to Partnerships to fund the pre-launch development costs of those starting during the year and to support Summer Plus activity in response to the Government's street crime agenda. The remaining funds are used centrally to support the Partnership network, for example, through the training of Personal Advisers and the development of tracking systems.
	In 2003–04, the total Connexions Service budget will be #475 million, of which #439 million will be allocated directly to Partnerships through the Connexions grant. Of the remainder, #17 million will go to Partnerships to continue supporting Summer Plus while #20 million will, as this year, fund work centrally in support of the Partnership network.
	The table shows the funding allocated via the grant to each Connexions Partnership in both 2002–03 and 2003–04. In addition to the main Connexions budget, CSNU is responsible for a range of other initiatives such as the Neighbourhood Support Fund, the Millennium Volunteers programme and a number of Youth Service funds. The total programme funding available for these other initiatives is #77.4 million in 2002–03 and #62.9 million in 2003–04.
	
		Connexions Partnership grant allocations (2002–03 and 2003–04) -- #
		
			 Connexions Partnership Total grant allocation (2002–03) Total grant allocation (2003–04) 
		
		
			  
			 South East   
			 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 10,588,239 10,293,332 
			 Berkshire 1,541,001 6,233,298 
			 Surrey 3,137,474 7,866,666 
			 Kent and Medway 5,095,843 12,940,734 
			 Sussex 6,026,723 11,075,372 
			 South Central 7,686,156 14,244,717 
			
			 London   
			 West London 6,488,117 12,056,005 
			 Central London 11,423,073 15,335,249 
			 North London 9,750,365 9,774,835 
			 East London 20,397,939 21,649,094 
			 South London 10,032,454 10,330,508 
			
			 East of England   
			 Norfolk 1,538,022 6,270,498 
			 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 5,621,638 5,839,068 
			 Suffolk 5,054,563 5,157,784 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 2,647,824 4,738,377 
			 Hertfordshire 7,187,852 7,584,278 
			 Essex, Southend and Thurrock 7,013,929 12,621,280 
			
			 South West   
			 Gloucestershire 4,240,416 4,386,413 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 2,608,196 4,778,769 
			 West of England 7,633,433 7,889,859 
			 Somerset 3,569,999 3,719,593 
			 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole 4,691,357 5,005,025 
			 Cornwall and Devon 11,901,551 12,511,182 
			   
			 West Midlands   
			 Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin 3,676,722 3,628,394 
			 Staffordshire 8,825,967 9,234,154 
			 Black Country 12,534,131 11,471,386 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 7,399,741 13,035,551 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 7,011,770 6,959,745 
			 Hereford and Worcester 5,410,214 5,495,746 
			
			 East Midlands   
			 Derbyshire 4,752,302 7,817,476 
			 Nottinghamshire 9,372,847 9,642,650 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 5,290,596 5,392,320 
			 Leicestershire 4,522,509 8,188,625 
			 Northamptonshire 2,952,352 5,563,219 
			
			 Yorkshire and The Humber   
			 York and North Yorkshire 3,042,748 5,391,600 
			 West Yorkshire 9,904,637 20,541,868 
			 Humber 8,737,279 8,531,852 
			 South Yorkshire 12,941,348 12,356,833 
			
			 North West   
			 Cumbria 4,270,474 4,211,678 
			 Lancashire 12,234,170 12,709,953 
			 Greater Manchester 13,511,486 26,251,106 
			 Greater Merseyside 17,098,257 17,407,792 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 6,979,313 6,849,066 
			
			 North East   
			 Northumberland 0 2,875,134 
			 Tyne and Wear 11,318,694 11,664,903 
			 County Durham 4,651,170 4,691,191 
			 Tees Valley 4,314,803 7,142,333 
			 Total England 336,629,693 439,356,511 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The allocations for 2002–03 reflect the fact that several Partnerships were launched during the year so, in some cases, represent only a proportion of the hypothetical full-year cost (e.g. the South Central Partnership was launched on 1 September so its 2002–03 allocation is 7/12 of what it would have been had the Partnership operated for the full year).
	2. Those Partnerships starting during the current year received additional development funding to help them prepare for full operation. Those same areas have also received funding to maintain careers service operation prior to the launch of their Connexions Partnerships.
	3. Some Partnerships have received further funding during 2002–03 for Summer Plus activities, Personal Adviser Drugs Education, etc.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) qualifications and (b) professional standards are required of Connexions personal advisers.

Ivan Lewis: Connexions personal advisers are drawn from a range of professional backgrounds. To be fully qualified they must possess an NVQ level 4 or equivalent in a relevant professional discipline (e.g. careers, youth work, social work) and have attended a bespoke training programme, either Understanding Connexions or the Diploma for Connexions Personal Advisers. Training is delivered at higher education institutions approved by the Connexions Service National Unit. A guide to professional practice for Connexions personal advisers is currently in draft and has been the subject of wide consultation.

Construction Industry Training Board

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was raised via the Construction Industry Training Board Levy in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) raised the following amounts from employers paying Levy in the last three financial years in Scotland, England and Wales. The CITB has no authority in Northern Ireland, which has its own body, the CITB Northern Ireland.
	
		# 
		
			  2002 2001 2000 
		
		
			 Scotland 6,363,352 6,571,868 6,700,813 
			 England 70,755,226 70,781,703 71,518,909 
			 Wales 2,214,494 2,544,784 2,770,784 
		
	
	The Construction Industry Training Board's financial year runs from 1 January to 31 December and the above information is prepared on that basis.

Construction Industry Training Board

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) organisations and (b) plant hire organisations in Scotland have paid into the Construction Industry Training Board Levy in each of the past five financial years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The Construction Industry Training Board have received levy from registered construction employers in Scotland as shown in the table.
	
		
			   Registered construction employers paying levy Registered construction employers declaring their main activity to be plant hire or repair paying levy 
		
		
			 1998 2,109 97 
			 1999 2,173 103 
			 2000 1,670 76 
			 2001 2,007 95 
			 2002 2,257 116

Construction Industry Training Board

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) organisations and (b) plant hire organisations in Scotland have claimed the training grants from the Construction Industry Training Board Levy in each of the past five financial years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 13 January 2003
	The Construction Industry Training Board received claims for Training Grants from registered construction employers in Scotland as shown in the table.
	
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Registered construction employers claiming grants 2,780 2,672 2,846 2,771 2,488 
			 Registered construction employers declaring their main activity to be plant hire of repair claiming grants 95 94 76 65 64 
		
	
	The CITB's Xgrant year" is aligned with the academic year and runs therefore from August to July, the figures shown in the table are prepared on that basis.

Education Funding

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the local education authority areas for which the proposed rise in the schools' block of their education formula spending share exceeds total increase in formula grant for the local authority, giving the amount of the excess in each case.

David Miliband: There are two local education authorities for which the proposed rise in the schools' block of the education formula spending share exceeds the total increase in formula grant for the local authority; Barnet where the excess is #1.2 million, and Essex with an excess of #0.3 million. There are a further 10 authorities where the proposed rise in the schools' block would exceed the total increase in formula grant after taking into account burdens faced by other services. These are:
	Bromley
	Devon
	Dorset
	East Sussex
	Hampshire
	Kent
	Richmond upon Thames
	Surrey
	West Sussex
	Wokingham

Education Funding

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has increased per pupil in real terms for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Leicestershire since 1996–97.

David Miliband: The following information details funding per pupil in primary and secondary education in Leicestershire from 1997–98 to 2002–03. The information for 1996–97 is not available as Leicestershire LEA did not come into being until 1997–98 as a result of the local government reorganisation.
	
		# 
		
			  SSA Grants Total 
		
		
			 Primary
			 1997–98 2,090 40 2,130 
			 1998–99 2,150 50 2,190 
			 1999–2000 2,210 110 2,320 
			 2000–01 2,250 250 2,500 
			 2001–02 2,290 370 2,660 
			 2002–03 2,350 380 2,730 
			 Change(7) 260 340 600 
			  
			 Secondary
			 1997–98 2,750 30 2,780 
			 1998–99 2,800 40 2,840 
			 1999–2000 2,840 70 2,920 
			 2000–01 2,910 210 3,120 
			 2001–02 2,960 290 3,250 
			 2002–03 3,020 290 3,310 
			 Change(7) 270 260 530 
		
	
	(7) Change since 1997–98.
	Notes:
	1. Coverage: figures reflect education SSA settlement figures (primary and secondary sub-blocks), plus all relevant grants in DfES's Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged 5 to 10 and 11 to 15 (excluding EMA and a handful of others where it is not possible to get figures on a comparables basis overtime).
	2. Expenditure data are taken from the Leicestershire LEA's section 52 Budget statements submitted to the DfES.
	3. The pupil numbers used to convert # million figures to # per pupil are the maintained pupils underlying the SSA settlement calculations.
	4. 1997–98 figures for LEAs subject to local government reorganisation in that year have been estimated, pro-rata, to their post LGR figures.
	5. 2002–03 figures are provisional.
	6. Real terms 2001–02 prices, based on GDP deflators as at September 2002.
	7. Figures are rounded to the nearest #10. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

Ethnic Minorities

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what proposals he plans to make in the EMAG distribution formula; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what responses he received on the consultation on EMAG distribution; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: Plans to consult last year on the arrangements for distributing EMAG were deferred pending the outcome of the Spending Review and the Local Government Finance Review. The Department is currently developing for consultation in spring 2003 proposals for a new strategy on raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils. This will include proposals for the future distribution and use of EMAG.

Ethnic Minorities

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the comparative EMAG funding at a constant value basis for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg: The Ethnic Minority Achievement Element of the Standards Fund (EMAG) was introduced by the DfES (then the DfEE) in April 1999. The breakdown of EMAG funding from April 1999 to March 2003 by financial year is provided in the table. It shows that the EMAG programme (including the LEA contribution) has increased by over #6.2 million in real terms over the last 4 years. To facilitate comparison at a constant value the allocations have been calculated using the GDP deflator formula based on the current standard base year of 2001–02. The 2002–03 calculation is based on GDP working assumptions for 2002–03.
	
		
			   Total allocations Comparison of total allocations in real terms using standard GDP deflator formula with cash figure value of 2001–02 prices as the base year 
		
		
			 1999–2000 139.2 145.8 
			 2000–01 147.2(8) 150.7(8) 
			 2001–02 153.9 153.9 
			 2002–03 155.8 152.0(9) 
		
	
	(8) For 2000–01 the traveller achievement grant was combined with EMAG. The total allocation of the traveller element for 2000–01 was #15.7 million and is not shown in this table.
	(9) Based on 2002–03 GDP working assumptions.

School Exclusions

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils have been (a) permanently and (b) temporarily excluded from maintained schools in relation to drugs offences in each of the last five years.

David Miliband: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Information on permanent exclusions is derived from Annual Schools' Census returns made by schools to the Department in January each year. This includes characteristics of the excluded pupil such as the pupil's age, gender and ethnicity. However, the reason for exclusion is not collected.
	However, on 20 January 2003 the Education (Pupil Exclusions and Appeals) (Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2002 will come into force, which require schools to report all fixed term exclusions to their local education authority.
	We are planning to collect information from local education authorities on both fixed term and permanent exclusions on a termly basis from this summer. This will capture the reason for the exclusion.

Further Education

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) 16-year-olds, (b) 17-year-olds, (c) 18-year-olds, (d) 19-year-olds, (e) 20-year-olds, (f) 21-year-olds, (g) 22-year-olds and (h) 23-year-olds were in (i) full-time and (ii) part-time education in each year since 1992.

David Miliband: The percentages of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds participating in full-time and part-time education, end 1991 to end 2001, are set out in the table. These are taken from the annual statistical first release, XParticipation in Education, Training and Employment by 16 to 18-Year-Olds in England". Figures for end 2001 are provisional.
	
		Participation in Education in England
		
			  16-year-olds 17-year-olds 18-year-olds  
			 End of year Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time 
		
		
			 1991 66.6 9.7 48.8 13.7 28.3 13.2 
			 1992 70.0 8.0 54.1 11.0 33.1 11.6 
			 1993 72.6 7.5 57.5 9.7 37.0 10.3 
			 1994 71.0 8.1 58.7 9.9 38.4 10.0 
			 1995 70.4 7.3 58.4 8.9 39.4 9.5 
			 1996 69.7 7.8 57.9 9.2 38.4 10.1 
			 1997 69.4 6.7 57.4 8.4 37.7 9.4 
			 1998 69.8 6.6 57.8 8.5 37.2 9.6 
			 1999 71.3 6.6 58.7 8.7 37.3 9.8 
			 2000 71.4 6.5 59.0 8.2 37.1 9.3 
			 2001 71.2 7.3 58.4 9.6 36.6 9.9 
		
	
	Equivalent overall participation rates are not produced by the Department for those aged 19 and over.

Language Teaching

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will introduce the new voluntary recognition system for language skills; which body will operate the system, including the setting and monitoring of standards; and what he expects the cost to be in each of the next five years.

David Miliband: The voluntary recognition system will be formally introduced in 2005. Prior to that, the system will be trialled. The Department is working with a number of key partners, including the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT) and the Nuffield Languages Programme to develop the system. We will work with the QCA in inviting the national awarding bodies to tender for the opportunity to operate the system. The level of funding will depend on the pace of implementation and the number of languages covered by the system.

School Budgets

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list schools with sixth forms which will face a reduced budget in the next financial year as a result of decisions of the Learning and Skills Councils, giving the percentage reduction proposed in each case.

Ivan Lewis: The effect of 2003–04 sixth form allocations by the Learning and Skills Council on schools' budgets cannot be calculated at present. These allocations are added into the budget share calculated by the local education authority for the whole school using its own funding formula; and in doing so, the authority is permitted to make a range of adjustments, both up and down, before the total budget share for the school is finalised. Local education authorities are obliged to publish details of 2003–04 budget shares by 31 March 2003, and will be calculating them in the months leading up to that date.
	The LSC allocations for 2003–04 were announced on 11 December 2002. The quantum distributed was #1.428 billion, which is 5.3 per cent. higher than the quantum for 2002–03. The allocations have not yet been finalised and are the subject of consultation with LEAs and schools. The allocations are primarily the responsibility of the LSC, and John Harwood, the Chief Executive of the LSC, will write to the hon. Member about them. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Libraries.

School Transport

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what school transport costs were for each local education authority in England in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The following information details the home to school/college transport expenditure returned by local education authorities for 2000–01 financial year:
	
		
			 LEA name: Pre-primary education Primary education Secondary education Special Schools 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 556,272 309,210 1,197,303 
			 Barnet 0 195,264 436,260 1,887,871 
			 Barnsley 0 0 0 0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0 418,279 979,653 733,486 
			 Bedfordshire 0 592,000 3,542,700 2,820,000 
			 Bexley 0 333,000 106,000 1,572,000 
			 Birmingham 5,483 1,235,734 889,667 9,315,605 
			 Blackburn 0 141,666 441,754 833,239 
			 Blackpool 0 24,508 19,773 521,914 
			 Bolton 1 107,196 153,394 577,174 
			 Bournemouth 0 76,144 (10)65,388 733,285 
			 Bracknell Forest 0 37,565 497,273 968,638 
			 Bradford 1,358 1,232,478 1,941,675 1,753,978 
			 Brent 0 457,000 476,000 1,902,000 
			 Brighton and Hove 0 0 0 0 
			 Bromley 23,748 551,700 348,844 1,746,803 
			 Buckinghamshire 19,466 1,846,286 6,380,213 2,571,587 
			 Bury 0 232,041 226,207 912,407 
			 Calderdale 0 186,768 675,040 962,587 
			 Cambridgeshire 105,315 1,758,565 4,235,868 2,785,303 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 1,674,597 4,620,374 3,130,612 
			 City of Bristol 51,599 96,139 389,568 731,654 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 0 0 0 0 
			 City of London 17,764 248 8,615 27,006 
			 Cornwall 88,067 1,188,855 3,771,242 1,346,783 
			 Coventry 42,260 118,448 374,480 970,911 
			 Croydon 32 0 0 2,624,743 
			 Cumbria 17,027 2,215,052 4,405,232 1,322,707 
			 Darlington 1,459 73,727 430,277 418,231 
			 Derby 0 453,920 173,388 1,329,306 
			 Derbyshire 0 979,000 3,626,000 2,621,000 
			 Devon 19 3,076,798 7,519,964 2,571,980 
			 Doncaster 0 12,743 26 0 
			 Dorset 4,156 1,402,700 3,768,864 2,293,919 
			 Dudley 0 174,462 121,237 1,408,805 
			 Durham 33,607 973,003 4,488,932 2,488,208 
			 Ealing 0 377,776 258,043 2,814,569 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0 1,089,303 2,830,130 1,899,254 
			 East Sussex 0 368,889 2,090,370 2,459,259 
			 Enfield 1,327 409,252 541,205 2,605,101 
			 Essex 0 5,059,519 7,783,730 7,271,403 
			 Gateshead 0 111,858 98,321 898,896 
			 Gloucestershire 100,387 1,288,224 3,222,346 2,416,953 
			 Greenwich 0 0 0 2,299,550 
			 Hackney 1,333 0 0 0 
			 Halton 0 421 182,418 1,108,493 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 42,605 170,421 1,485,939 
			 Hampshire 0 2,424,000 4,470,000 5,778,000 
			 Haringey 0 312,822 261,834 1,541,271 
			 Harrow 0 64,742 17,504 1,960 
			 Hartlepool 0 21,523 180,162 396,942 
			 Havering 0 72,829 235,198 641,142 
			 Herefordshire 78 1,409,106 1,966,239 1,031,053 
			 Hertfordshire 0 1,991,053 4,850,372 5,995,644 
			 Hillingdon 1,601 381,667 277,025 2,009,241 
			 Hounslow 0 311,062 116,124 1,430,000 
			 Isle of Wight Council 0 67,213 980,664 179,824 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 11,076 8,462 0 
			 Islington 0 11,250 7,224 15,239 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,774 61,635 45,283 15,094 
			 Kent 0 3,854,782 11,987,257 5,611,489 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 43,973 69,915 1,162,444 
			 Kirklees 0 462,900 280,000 1,803,600 
			 Knowsley 0 5,010 207,295 1,272,842 
			 Lambeth 0 234,808 234,808 2,113,844 
			 Lancashire 0 1,119,824 6,524,843 7,286,324 
			 Leeds 0 157,465 10,138 3,949,392 
			 Leicester 0 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 759,261 4,315,277 4,252,856 
			 Lewisham 47,637 37,209 54,566 2,172,244 
			 Lincolnshire 0 2,339,989 5,917,882 4,068,068 
			 Liverpool 0 1,319 585,579 3,274,923 
			 Luton 67,808 121,140 33,750 1,024,430 
			 Manchester 0 0 192,497 5,467,276 
			 Merton 0 0 0 1,042,949 
			 Middlesbrough 39,693 186,022 169,598 396,979 
			 Milton Keynes 47,474 431,528 574,060 958,588 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0 0 0 806,981 
			 Newham 0 866,350 538,602 789,327 
			 Norfolk 0 2,531,792 7,595,377 3,533,812 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0 139,483 286,715 760,754 
			 North Lincolnshire 0 487,060 1,073,780 839,979 
			 North Somerset 0 615,261 1,090,804 625,292 
			 North Tyneside 0 94,766 59,154 970,753 
			 North Yorkshire 372,151 2,991,141 5,080,018 2,020,754 
			 Northamptonshire 0 2,126,191 2,052,429 3,098,523 
			 Northumberland 0 1,809,426 857,618 3,930,583 
			 Nottingham City 0 138,216 277,021 1,374,234 
			 Nottinghamshire 22,474 2,023,816 3,008,785 2,273,379 
			 Oldham 17,939 113,014 109,522 1,262,509 
			 Oxfordshire 113 3,284,713 2,895,945 3,727,772 
			 Peterborough 0 345,015 427,518 1,107,438 
			 Plymouth 0 288,065 835,992 1,156,850 
			 Poole 0 109,458 444,040 671,789 
			 Portsmouth 0 148,353 420,050 449,704 
			 Reading 0 0 0 33,724 
			 Redbridge 0 266,461 576,305 1,655,378 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 8,335 56,192 77,635 2,712 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 0 0 0 
			 Rochdale 100,318 1,942 224,345 1,201,082 
			 Rochester and Gillingham 0 1,198,200 958,500 723,500 
			 Rotherham 69,224 140,088 248,801 1,118,730 
			 Rutland 0 178,231 503,295 167,913 
			 Salford 0 82,739 94,559 1,073,968 
			 Sandwell 0 271,970 427,692 1,302,821 
			 Sefton 0 101,463 262,945 1,637,520 
			 Sheffield 0 5,227 3,795 2,735,746 
			 Shropshire 0 1,718,677 1,988,957 1,700,132 
			 Slough 0 250,042 187,532 801,588 
			 Solihull 0 516,000 601,000 562,000 
			 Somerset 0 3,128,172 3,295,276 260,681 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 1,348,792 541,955 428,044 
			 South Tyneside 0 193,212 124,902 388,349 
			 Southampton 67,718 55,825 56,838 822,903 
			 Southend 0 23,028 137,011 1,054,754 
			 Southwark 158,250 0 0 0 
			 St. Helens 32,722 18,647 401,547 1,192,292 
			 Staffordshire 0 537,456 4,710,974 3,760,251 
			 Stockport 0 10,791 117,483 1,747,441 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 759 393,681 393,945 680,367 
			 Stoke on Trent 132 410,881 262,829 885,927 
			 Suffolk 0 5,539,700 3,416,149 276,984 
			 Sunderland 89 416 75,476 1,507,243 
			 Surrey 147,894 2,708,624 5,476,770 6,483,764 
			 Sutton 0 233,344 122,889 910,898 
			 Swindon 0 367,969 367,969 1,259,761 
			 Tameside 0 69,902 205,450 888,882 
			 The Wrekin 0 0 5,075 0 
			 Thurrock 0 171,626 463,070 408,451 
			 Torbay 0 123,732 526,707 549,948 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 12,048 108,428 2,357,473 
			 Trafford 0 238,945 342,326 1,466,249 
			 Wakefield 0 191,673 346,735 833,715 
			 Walsall 136 107,069 228,402 1,148,377 
			 Waltham Forest 1,460 1,618,318 393,881 173,305 
			 Wandsworth 0 34,457 208,028 1,887,246 
			 Warrington 0 182,610 635,171 823,705 
			 Warwickshire 4,782 2,870,428 4,190,863 2,814,722 
			 West Berkshire 6 303,410 803,145 1,420,492 
			 West Sussex 0 433,940 2,894,622 4,299,504 
			 Westminster 0 19,972 15,692 2,410,074 
			 Wigan 0 33,260 282,621 1,487,741 
			 Wiltshire 0 1,237,410 3,556,142 1,454 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 105 114,441 448,558 1,279,029 
			 Wirral 0 320,236 658,174 1,314,616 
			 Wokingham 0 43,660 679,587 999,626 
			 Wolverhampton 0 277,966 281,431 1,304,636 
			 Worcestershire 0 1,151,413 3,492,660 3,546,787 
			 York 0 93,985 632,929 746,429 
		
	
	Source:
	School Budget data for 2000–01 is taken from section 52 budget statements completed by Local Education Authorities and returned to the DfES

Schools (Departmental Documents)

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the documents issued between 1 January and 19 December by his Department to schools that deal with (a) discipline, (b) truancy, (c) bureaucracy and (d) teacher workload; and how many pages were in each document.

David Miliband: The following documents issued between 1 January and 19 December to schools that deal with (a) discipline, (b) truancy, (c) bureaucracy and (d) teacher workload:
	1. Revised Guidance on Exclusion from School—Draft for Consultation
	Nursery, Sample Primary, Sample Secondary
	Sent: 21 January 2002—Pages: 17
	2. Workload pack—letter from Secretary of State and guidance
	All maintained schools, schools with sixth form and sixth form colleges
	Sent: 11 March 2002—Pages: 6
	3. Survey of absences in schools
	All schools
	Sent: 01 May 2002—Pages: 5

Schools' Budgets

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if it is his intention to use reserve powers under the Education Act 2002 to determine a minimum level of schools' budgets for the coming year.

David Miliband: The Education Act 2002 requires local education authorities to notify the Secretary of State of their proposed schools budget by 31 January 2003. My right hon. Friend will decide in the light of the proposed budgets whether it is necessary to use the reserve power.

SSA Allocation (Newcastle)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what SSA allocation the City of Newcastle received in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04; and what was (i) the LEA spend and (ii) the size of the schools budget in (A) 2001–02 and (B) 2002–03.

David Miliband: holding answer 9 January 2003
	The following table contains the information requested. The Department is in the process of collecting spend data for the 2001–02 financial year and I will write to my hon. friend when it is available. The Department is not due to collect data for 2002–03 until September 2003.
	
		# million 
		
			 Financial Year SSA Budget 
		
		
			 2001–02 117.95 111.11 
			 2002–03 115.33 104.78 
			 2003–04 126.74 (provisional)  
		
	
	Notes:
	The SSA figure for 2003–04 is provisional and not comparable with 2002–03. The figures for 2002–03 and 2003–04 exclude provision transferred to the LSC from 2002–03. The figure for 2003–04 includes grant and pension funding transferred into EFS in 2003–04.
	In 2003–04 Newcastle's Education Formula Spending Share rose by 6 per cent. per pupil or 5.7 per cent. in cash terms. The overall cash increase does not compare with last year's Education SSA because of the transfers mentioned above.
	The education budgets for 2001–02 and 2002–03 are derived from Newcastle's S52 Budget Statements for those years—as submitted to the Department.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many statutory instruments have been issued by his Department in each calendar year since 1979.

Stephen Twigg: The number of statutory instruments issued by my Department, and its predecessor Departments, since 1979 is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number of statutory instruments issued 
		
		
			 1979 81 
			 1980 105 
			 1981 101 
			 1982 90 
			 1983 79 
			 1984 61 
			 1985 72 
			 1986 53 
			 1987 71 
			 1988 79 
			 1989 94 
			 1990 78 
			 1991 92 
			 1992 107 
			 1993 74 
			 1994 103 
			 1995 84 
			 1996 88 
			 1997 70 
			 1998 144 
			 1999 206 
			 2000 148 
			 2001 167 
			 2002 165

Teaching Regulations

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it a policy of the Government to limit relevant employment under the Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) Regulations 1999 to teaching; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 13 January 2003
	Teachers and those who work with children and young persons, in effect, act in loco parents for those in their charge, and they require a high standard of physical and mental fitness to undertake the demands involved. The provisions of the Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) Regulations 1999 ensure that such workers are fit for the job, and are essential in adding to the safeguards aimed at protecting the health, welfare and education of children.
	It is vital that people who work on a regular basis with children and young persons (for example, home tutors, support staff, and welfare officers) are fit to do so. It would not, therefore, be appropriate to limit this requirement to teachers.

Visual Needs

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what recent programmes have been initiated by his Department to (a) promote early detection of specific ophthalmic conditions in children and (b) monitor their visual development; and what evaluation has been carried out as to the benefits of such programmes;
	(2)  what proportion of schools in England conduct vision screening for children (a) at school entry, (b) at age seven and (c) at age 11;
	(3)  if he will make it his policy to gather data on the number of children with undiagnosed visual needs in (a) mainstream and (b) special school provision;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the impact of undetected sight problems on the educational achievement and inclusion of children in (a) mainstream and (b) special schools;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of current arrangements for eye health education in schools;
	(6)  what guidance his Department provides to teachers on the identification of sight problems among children in (a) early years provision, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools;
	(7)  whether it is his Department's policy that children with (a) suspected reading difficulties, (b) behavioural problems and (c) other forms of special educational needs should be offered a full visual assessment.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has provided #1 million to support an Early Support Pilot Programme, which is a pan-disability national initiative aimed at identifying and developing good service provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities and their families. The Programme includes a number of projects looking at services for children with visual impairment. It will support development in a number of areas, including: initial assessment of need; co-ordination/multi-agency support for families; better information and access for families; improved professional knowledge and skills; service review and development; and improved partnership across agencies and geographical boundaries.
	The Programme is being evaluated by a team from the National Children's' Bureau on an ongoing basis. The evaluation will inform the future development of the Programme.
	The Department of Health is responsible for the provision of eye checks undertaken by local primary health care teams in accordance with professional advice. The principal threats to eye health and impaired vision development should be detected at or before school age is reached and be identified during a visual screening on school entry. Consideration is currently being given to the introduction of a universal test for all children when they start school at four or five. Older children may develop myopia (short sight) which is usually recognised when they complain of difficulty seeing clearly at distance. Since the onset of myopia commonly occurs between the ages of nine and 16 it is not possible to identify optimum ages for screening. Children may Xpass" a routine screening examination only to find problems within the next few months. There is then a possibility that some children might not receive advice to attend an optometrist until after their next routine screening appointment. All children up to the age of 15 are entitled to a free sight test as are children aged 16–18 if they are in full-time education. Whenever parents or carers suspect that there is a problem with their child's sight they should take them to the optician's.
	There are no plans to collect data on children in school, whose visual needs have not been diagnosed. However, from January 2004 the DfES will be collecting data by type of SEN as part of the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census. Information will be collected on pupils with statements of special educational need and those receiving additional or different help to support their SEN—School Action and School Action Plus. One of the categories will be visual impairment and schools will be able to record it as either a primary need or a secondary need. It is hoped that this will provide more detailed data on pupils with a range of SEN, including visual impairment.
	No assessment has been made of the impact of undetected sight problems on the educational attainment and inclusion of children in school. Nor has an assessment been made of current arrangements for eye health education in schools.
	Students undertaking initial teacher training are required to understand their responsibilities under the DfES's SEN Code of Practice and to know where to go to seek advice. They are also required to be able to demonstrate that they can differentiate their teaching to meet the individual needs of pupils with SEN, including those with visual impairment.
	Support for training and development in relation to SEN and disabilities is available to local education authorities (LEAs) and schools through the SEN component of the DfES's Standards Fund. The funding is designed to be used flexibly to support developmental opportunities ranging from basic awareness-raising to more in-depth studies, possibly leading to formal qualifications. It is for individual LEAs and schools to determine expenditure priorities according to local needs and circumstances, but it would certainly be possible to use the funding to support training for teachers in the area of visual impairment.
	The SEN Code of Practice provides practical advice to LEAs, maintained schools and others on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children's SEN, including for children with visual impairment. The Code aims to promote consistency of approach, but, within its guidelines, it is for individual schools and LEAs to determine appropriate intervention based on an assessment of each child's individual needs and circumstances.
	It would be for schools and LEAs to decide whether it was appropriate to carry out a specific visual assessment, if it was thought that visual impairment was contributing to a child's other educational difficulties.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Asbestos Leaks

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many asbestos leaks occurred in buildings owned or leased by (a) the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and (b) South Eastern Education and Library Board since 1973; where these leaks occurred; and how many people were exposed in each case.

Jane Kennedy: (a) The Department of Education does not own or lease any buildings. Departmental staff occupy buildings at two locations, Rathgael House in Bangor and Waterside House in Londonderry. Both sites are owned or leased by the Department of Finance and Personnel, Office Accommodation Branch (OAB).
	(b) I have been advised by the South Eastern Education and Library Board that it does not retain records on this issue dating back to 1973. Neither is it aware of any instances of asbestos leakage at any of its schools. In addition to the leak at the board headquarters in September 2002, the details of which you are aware from my recent replies to you, the SEELB has advised that there have been three occasions involving disturbances of asbestos during the carrying out of maintenance work. These were at:
	Killyleagh Outdoor Education Centre in December 1999;
	Board Headquarters in September 2000; and
	Castlewellan Library in November 2001.
	On none of these occasions were any staff or members of the public affected by asbestos.

Department for Regional Development (Funding)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why #48 million allocated to the Department for Regional Development for the financial 2002–03 year had to be handed back to the Northern Ireland central administration in autumn 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Clarification of the nature of stage payments to Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) to purchase new trains confirmed that they did not create an asset, and hence those payments were not a charge on the Department's departmental expenditure limit (DEL). Although the Department for Regional Development made substantial grant payments to NIR in 2001–02 and 2002–03 in respect of trains, none of this scores in the budget under the resource budgeting rules that apply for those two financial years. As soon as this technicality was clarified, in August 2002, #49 million was made available for re-allocation, under the normal rules that apply to all Departments. This funding, together with other funds identified by Departments, has been allocated to good effect across Departments and is profiled to be spent in the current financial year. The revised budget for 2003–04 to 2005–06 published on 11 December 2002 includes the required provision for the purchase of the new trains and delivery in 2004 is on schedule.

Departmental Underspend

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the five most significant individual projects which contributed to departmental underspends in Northern Ireland during the past five years; and what the value was of each project.

Ian Pearson: The introduction of Devolution in 1999 involved the restructuring of NI Departments, and an increase in number from six to 11. This factor, combined with the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting in the 2001–02 financial year, means it is not possible to make meaningful comparisons between outturn information across the span of five years requested. However, the table shows the five most significant capital projects which contributed to departmental underspends in Northern Ireland in 2001–02, the latest year for which information is available.
	
		2001–02 most significant capital project underspends
		
			 Department Project # million 
		
		
			 DEL Research Institute for Electronics, Communications and IT Technologies 3.0 
			 DETI Telecommunications Initiative 7.2 
			 DHSSPS Trusts Capital Programme 9.2 
			  Centralised IT Projects 4.5 
			 DRD NITHCo: Purchase of Rolling Stock(10) 13.0 
		
	
	(10) This arose due to technical issues associated with the transition to RAB, rather than project management issues.

Model Primary School

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to ensure the completion of renovation work at the Model Primary School in Newtownards.

Jane Kennedy: A scheme for the extension and refurbishment of the Model Primary School in Newtownards is on my Department's school capital priority list.
	In May 2002 a draft economic appraisal on the options for meeting the school's needs was submitted to the Department by the South-Eastern Education and Library Board. The board is currently revising the draft and the updated version is expected to be with the Department in the near future.
	Subject to agreement on the conclusions and recommendations of the economic appraisal, and bearing in mind the constraints in relation to the listed building status of the school, planning of the scheme may then commence.

South Eastern Education Library Board

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to institute a public inquiry into (a) the asbestos leak at the Headquarters of the South Eastern Education Library Board in September 2002 and (b) steps taken to address the consequences.

Jane Kennedy: No. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland has carried out an investigation into this issue and I do not consider that there is need for a further investigation.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Retail Industry Crime

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on crime in the retail industry.

John Denham: holding answer 7 January 2003
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I recognise the detrimental impact that crime has on the retail industry and other business sectors. That is why I launched a consultation process in December to seek the views of business organisations and other stakeholders on the best means of creating and maintaining effective partnerships to reduce the opportunities for crime against business and enhance the contribution that business can make to crime reduction.
	It is our intention to build on the good work already done by organisations like the British Retail Consortium in the development of retail crime reduction partnerships in main town and shopping centres. We will continue to support such partnerships.
	The Home Secretary announced in April last year a new survey of crime affecting retail and manufacturing business. This will give a range of information about the types of crime which most impact on these business sectors and provide insights into the most effective interventions to address them. Results of the survey should be available in the summer.
	The Government have allocated #15 million over the years 2001–02 to 2003–04 to improve the security of small retail businesses in deprived areas. Nearly 3,000 shops benefited from the first year's funding and a further 4,500 individual shops and businesses will benefit directly from the #6 million made available under the second year of the scheme. A further #6 million will be available in the third year to enable more shopkeepers to benefit from extra security.
	Many of the Government's crime reduction initiatives, such as the closed circuit television initiative with nearly 700 schemes approved, also have a beneficial impact on retail crime.

Retail Industry Crime

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of crime in the retail industry in (a) Lancashire, (b) the north-west of England and (c) Wales;
	(2)  what estimates he has made of the financial cost of petty crime on small retail businesses in the UK.

John Denham: holding answer 7 January 2003
	The total cost of all commercial and public sector victimisation in England and Wales was estimated to be #9.1 billion in 1999–2000, of which around #3.1 billion was due to theft from shops. Figures are not available regionally nor by the size of establishment.
	The 1994 Commercial Victimisation Survey gives average yearly costs of crime in 1993 across all small employers (1–10 employees) in the retail sector in England and Wales. These are shown in the table by product sold.
	
		Average yearly costs (1993) of crime for all small employers in the retailing sector, whether victimised or not
		
			 Product sold Average cost (#) 
		
		
			 Food 2,040 
			 Alcohol/tobacco 2,730 
			 High value electrical/patented goods 2,250 
			 Furniture/clothing 2,040 
			 Jewellery/precious metal 1,880 
			 None of the above 1,500 
			 All 1,850 
		
	
	A new survey of crime affecting retail and manufacturing business is currently being carried out and the results should be available later in the year.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what command and control measures will be introduced in the event of a major terrorist incident; and how long this would take to set up in the event of such an emergency.

David Blunkett: The police have the primary role in responding to a terrorist incident and the force in whose area the incident takes place would take operational control and command of the incident at the scene. The Government response is co-ordinated at ministerial level through the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) in London. COBR is responsible for determining the overall political strategy in relation to the incident including responding to any political demands made by a terrorist group. COBR would also arrange for the provision of any necessary assistance requested by the police incident commander. In the event of a terrorist incident, the police and Government level response would be deployed as a matter of urgency.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a central directive instructing each of the Government agencies in what to do in the event of a terrorist incident.

David Blunkett: The Home Office takes lead responsibility for co-ordinating the response to a terrorist incident within the UK. A set of classified contingency plans exist for responding to a wide range of terrorist threats. The response to any terrorist incident relies upon a co-ordinated approach and the Government draws upon the resources of other Departments, the security and intelligence agencies, the police, the military, scientific and other specialist advice, local authorities and the emergency services.

Terrorism

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had, and with which local authorities, on the protection of people living in Dudley from terrorist attack; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: At the local level, counter terrorism is the responsibility of the police. This work is carried out in close conjunction with the Home Office, which has lead responsibility for this issue. Police forces will issue advice as necessary, as well as taking the lead as and when a terrorist incident arises. Local authorities do not have a direct involvement in counter terrorism.
	Local authorities have a general role in emergency planning, dealing with the consequences of all emergencies, including those arising from terrorist attack. My right hon. Friend the Lord Macdonald of Tradeston and Cabinet Office officials have regular contact with local authorities on this issue, through the provision of formal guidance, funding and co-ordination of local arrangements with national policy.

Terrorist Threats

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates on which arrests were made in connection with recent terrorist threats in the United Kingdom.

David Blunkett: holding answer 13 January 2003
	Since 1 December 2002 and to date, a total of 50 arrests have been made under the Terrorism Act 2000. 29 of those were released without charge and 20 were charged with a range of offences under the Terrorism Act. A further one still remains in custody.

Terrorist Threats

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions his Department has had with other Departments about the timing of announcements relating to the discovery of terrorist threats in Britain.

David Blunkett: holding answer 13 January 2003
	There are regular discussions on the whole range of counter terrorist issues through a number of committees. Where intelligence exists about specific threats we seek to thwart them and take whatever response we believe necessary to ensure the protection of the public. If the Government or the police thought it was necessary to give the public a specific warning we would do it without hesitation. Our prime consideration is their safety.

Asylum Seekers

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation was carried out with voluntary organisations in receipt of funding for the training and education of asylum seekers before the decision was made to end the concession enabling asylum seekers to work if no decision had been made on their case after six months.

Beverley Hughes: Wherever possible we consult publicly on proposed changes in policy. But on this occasion the need to act quickly meant that there was no time for public consultation.

Asylum Seekers

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the European Council of Ministers recommendation concerning minimum standards for the reception conditions of asylum-seekers.

Beverley Hughes: The UK will participate in the Directive on Reception Conditions, which forms part of the first stage of a Common European Asylum System, which the council committed to in the Treaty of Amsterdam 1997. The Reception Conditions Directive is expected to be adopted shortly.

Asylum Seekers

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if asylum seekers who do not have a decision after one year will be allowed access to the labour market, as recommended by the Council of Ministers report on minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers.

Beverley Hughes: In accordance with the Directive of Minimum Reception Conditions for asylum seekers, which is expected to enter into force in 2005, access to the labour market will be granted to any applicant who has not received an initial decision within 12 months.
	However, given that around 80 per cent. of initial asylum decisions are made well within half this time, this provision is unlikely to have any practical significance.

Asylum Seekers

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report on the Landmark Co. in Liverpool concerning housing and support services for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have received the report into the Inquiry into Landmark. I am currently considering the contents of the report.

Children's Internet Sites

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make Criminal Records Bureau checks mandatory for moderators of children's internet sites.

Hilary Benn: There is no provision in Part 5 of the Police Act 1997, which established the Criminal Records Bureau, by which checks can be made mandatory.
	We introduced in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 2002 (2002 No. 441), an exception for XAny employment which is concerned with the monitoring, for the purposes of child protection, of communications by means of the internet". This makes checks on moderators of chat rooms, and other forms of internet communication, used by children, possible. We are encouraging this in good practice models and guidance for the internet industry, which will be published by the task force on child protection on the internet early in the new year and are confident that operators in this country will take advantage of this possibility.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 4 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Rizgar Ghalib Ali.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 January 2003.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 14 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to the Nawab International Restaurant Group.

Beverley Hughes: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 2 January 2003.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 26 November 2002, regarding a constituent, ref 24367/2.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 January 2003
	A reply to the letter was sent on 10 January.

Correspondence

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Bolton, South-East of (a) 18 July 2002, (b) 20 September 2002, (c) 4 November 2002 and (d) 4 December 2002 regarding the case of Miss Zakiya Motala.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 January 2003
	I wrote to my hon. Friend on 9 January 2003.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time between receipt of a communication by the Criminal Records Bureau and an answer being sent has been in (a) each week and (b) each month of the last 12 months

Hilary Benn: holding answer 19 December 2002
	The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) offers three different ways to contact the bureau—by telephone, by post or by e-mail. The CRB aims to deal with all inquiries quickly and efficiently. Its target is to answer 90 per cent. of all telephone calls within 20 seconds. The call centre has consistently exceeded this service standard.
	The CRB aims to reply to all e-mails that are sent to the CRB website address within 24 hours of receipt and indications are that this target is currently being met.
	The CRB aims to provide a response to written correspondence within one week of receipt. At present there is no information available to confirm to what extent this target is being met, as the details are not collated centrally, but the target is not yet being fully achieved.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money is owed within the Criminal Records Bureau; and (a) by and (b) to whom it is owed.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 19 December 2002
	As at 31 October 2002 the Passport and Records Agency owed #350,902 to Capita in unpaid invoices. In addition to this #5,033,514.07 was accrued for charges incurred in the month that had yet to be invoiced by Capita.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalties have been incurred by Capita on the Criminal Records Bureau contract.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 19 December 2002
	There is provision under the terms of the contract between Capita and the Home Office for penalties for delay or poor performance. Capita has incurred liquidated damages, although, as is normal in such contracts the details remain commercial in confidence. The main priority is for the Criminal Records Bureau and Capita to collaborate in order to achieve further improvement in the quality of service.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which staff get priority treatment for their Criminal Record Bureau checks; and how this is assessed.

Hilary Benn: There is no priority treatment given to any staff from any sector for their Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks. The CRB did take on extra resources in August/September 2002 to process those applications from teachers and classroom assistants. The CRB does, where possible, seek to expedite individual applications from any sector, which are exceptionally delayed.

Cultural Integration and Co-operation

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to combat terrorism through cultural integration and co-operation.

David Blunkett: The Government are committed to ensuring the fair treatment and inclusion of all communities within our society. We are actively working to ensure that where there are divisions along lines of race, religion, class—or any other cultural factor—barriers are broken down, discrimination is eradicated and positive relationships are encouraged.
	In addition, we attach great importance to helping those who settle here—and existing British citizens—gain a fuller appreciation of the civic and political dimensions of British citizenship and, in particular, to understand the rights and responsibilities that come with British citizenship. This will help to strengthen active participation in our democracy and a sense of community belonging. This is why we introduced the citizenship curriculum in schools in September and why we have appointed an independent group under the chairmanship of Professor Sir Bernard Crick to make recommendations on the standard of language skills it might be reasonable to expect of someone seeking naturalisation. The group will also be advising on the content and delivery of a XLiving in the United Kingdom" programme.
	Taken together these measures will help to reduce the risk of disaffection that can lead, in some extreme cases, to support for terrorism.

Domestic Violence

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of domestic violence were reported in the (a) Twickenham constituency, (b) London borough of Richmond upon Thames and (c) London in each year since 1992; how many people died in these incidents in each area; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 9 January 2003
	Domestic violence is not separately identified in recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary collects figures from police forces on best value performance indicators (BVPIs) broken down by force and basic command unit (BCU) area.
	BVPI 153a records the number of domestic violence incidents where there was a power of arrest. Domestic violence is defined as an incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or who have been intimate partners (defined as more than just friends or acquaintances) of family members, regardless of gender. Family members are defined as mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandparents, in-laws and step family.
	Richmond BCU is co-terminus with the London borough and figures can be provided for that area but the data does not enable the number of incidents in Twickenham to be identified. This information has been collected only for the last two years. Previous records were compiled on a different basis and not to BCU level.
	There were 329 domestic violence incidents (as defined above) in Richmond BCU in 2000–01 and 384 in 2001–02. In the Metropolitan police area there were 27,681 incidents in 2000–01 and 28,794 in 2001–02.
	It is not possible to say how many of these figures were homicides.
	The Government are committed to tackling domestic violence at all levels. It is a serious and abhorrent crime that accounts for one quarter of all violent crime and claims the lives of two women a week. Nearly half of all female murder victims are killed by a partner or an ex-partner. The Government will do everything it can to tackle it and ensure that victims receive the highest levels of support and protection.
	My right hon. Friend Home Secretary recently announced a consultation paper setting out proposals to prevent domestic violence, which will be published by spring 2003. This consultation will build on the initial consultation on domestic violence in the White Paper, XJustice for All", and the on-going work of the inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence.
	The inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence brings together eight Ministers to progress five priority areas for action.
	Increasing safe accommodation choices for women and children;
	Developing early and effective health care interventions;
	Improving the interface between the criminal and civil law;
	Ensuring a consistent and appropriate response from the police and Crown Prosecution Service; and
	Promoting Education and Awareness Raising.
	Tackling the problem means more than just providing initial support for victims. We want to ensure that offenders are prosecuted, help the police to prevent repeat victimisation, and protect the lives of the vulnerable.

Estonian Baltic Dancers

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an official of the Immigration Service visited the residence in Northern Ireland of the Estonian Baltic Dancers; whether the dancers overstayed their 12 week group permit; and what attempt was made to verify their ages and the travel documents they were using.

Beverley Hughes: The residence of foreign nationals believed to be employed at the Movie Star Cafe was visited by the United Kingdom Immigration Service (UKIS) on 18 December 2002. Four female foreign nationals were encountered (one Latvian, one Estonian, one Russian and one Colombian) who all declared they were employed at the club.
	The Latvian and Estonian females confirmed they were part of a group of 17 dancers who were granted a 12 week work permit on 1 July 2002. These two individuals advised that they had entered the UK (Northern Ireland) overland via the Irish Republic on a number of occasions since 1 July and had not seen an immigration officer on arrival. A provision of The Variation of Leave (Entry through Ireland) Order 1981 is that persons arriving in the United Kingdom by this route are deemed to have leave for a specific period as a visitor. They have, however, not been granted leave to work by an immigration officer and without doing so are not allowed to take employment. The individuals and the club owner were advised of this and that the deemed leave was due to expire the following day. The Immigration Service has confirmed that the two women departed the UK in order to avoid overstaying their leave.
	The Russian and Colombian females were both visa nationals but neither held valid UK visas. The Immigration Service therefore served illegal entry papers on them and the Russian national made a voluntary departure on 20 December. The Colombian national has submitted an application to remain in the United Kingdom and has been granted temporary release pending consideration of her case.
	An immigration officer examined the passports of the four foreign nationals encountered at the club and noted that all four were of adult age.

Somali Groups (Financial Support)

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support has been given to Somali groups in each of the past five years.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 9 January 2003
	The financial support that the Home Department has directly paid to Somali groups between 1998–99 and 2002–03 were as follows.
	
		
			 Recipient Amount (#) 
		
		
			 2002–03   
			 From Community Champions to Mohammed Wali for running activities and establishing services for the Somalian Refugee Community in Handsworth Bham. 2,000 
			 Community Cohesion Summer Activity Scheme paid to Regent College, Leicester for a sport and leisure programme for local Somali and Montserrat young people. Somali young people were also encouraged to go to other summer schemes but this was the only one funded specifically for the Somali new comer communities in this region. 33,780 
			 Purposeful Activity for Asylum Seekers  
			 Somali Advice and Information Centre, Leicester 2,170 
			 Bariimo Somali Youth Project, Harrow 2,100 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 Refugee Community Development Fund  
			 Somali Physical Disabled Support Group, Sheffield 4,930 
			 Somali Youth Association, Milton Keynes 4,150 
			 Somaliland Health and Education Project, London SE19 3,650 
			 Stonebridge Somali Centre, London 4,789 
			 Somali Community Support Centre, London W14 4,861 
			 Horn Stars Sports Club, London NW10 5,000 
			 East London Somali Association 5,000 
			   
			 European Refugee Fund  
			 (The accounting periods are calendar years)  
			 2002  
			 East London Somali Association 28,847 
			 Somali Advisory Bureau, London W2 9,230 
			   
			 2001  
			 East London Somali Association 21,318 
			 Somali Advisory Bureau, London W2 9,730 
			 Somali Cultural Centre, London NW6 18,650 
			   
			 2000  
			 Somali Advisory Bureau, London W2 4,865

Football Hooligans

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been introduced (a) to assist the police in combating football hooliganism in the UK and (b) to ensure that people who organise fights are prosecuted.

John Denham: Government works closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers, individual forces and the National Criminal Intelligence Service in tackling football disorder. The police and courts in England and Wales have been provided with extensive legislative powers for combating football hooliganism. This includes empowering the police to seek football banning orders against individuals who pose a risk of violence or disorder in connection with football matches. The orders prevent attendance at domestic matches and travel to matches played overseas. There are currently over 1,400 people subject to banning orders. There is no comparable legislation in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Gloucester Prison

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the governor of HMP Gloucester regarding (a) the removal of young adults from the prison in June 2001 and (b) the reintroduction of young adults to the prison in June 2002;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the governor of HMP Gloucester regarding conditions for young adults at the prison.

Hilary Benn: Minor and temporary changes to the population of a prison for operational reasons are a matter for the Director General of the Prison Service.
	The young offender population was removed from Gloucester prison in 2001 as there was sufficient accommodation available at other establishments, including Ashfield prison. In June 2002, the rapid growth in the prison population as a whole resulted in Gloucester prison again being used to accommodate young offenders. I am assured by the area manager and the governing governor responsible for Gloucester prison that conditions for young offenders at Gloucester are satisfactory.

Oakington

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish a removal centre alongside the immigration reception centre at Oakington in Cambridgeshire.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 January 2003
	No decision has been made to alter the current status of Oakington. I am currently looking at this matter and will write to the hon. Member once a decision has been made.

Refugee Integration

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact upon refugee integration of the reduced entitlement to guidance and language training due to the withdrawal of the work concession for asylum-seekers who do not have an initial decision after six months;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of the work concession for asylum-seekers who will eventually receive permission to remain in the UK upon their ability to develop their English language and other skills.

Beverley Hughes: By the time the concession was abolished about 80 per cent. of new applications were receiving an initial decision within the initial six months. The number of new asylum seekers able to benefit from the concession was therefore falling and will continue to do so. Asylum seekers who had permission to work or who had sought permission to do so before the concession was abolished continue to be able to work and receive work based training.
	Asylum seekers remain eligible to attend a range of courses to assist in the development of English for speaker of other languages (ESOL) and other basic skills in the short period before a decision is taken on their claim.

Settlement Visa Applications

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time for the Home Office immigration department to process a settlement visa application for the spouse of a British citizen was over the last 12 months; and what the expected length of time is, as outlined in the Home Office guidelines, for the Department to process a settlement visa application for the spouse of a British citizen.

Beverley Hughes: There is no published data on decision times specifically to determine applications for settlement of spouses of British citizens. We aim to screen all postal applications within three weeks and decide those that are straightforward at that point. However, because of the high number of applications in the latter part of 2002 this is currently taking around 10 weeks on average. Some that need further inquiries or more detailed consideration can take around 12 months to decide subject to how easy it is to obtain the information and how quickly applicants respond to such requests. We are taking measures to improve this situation and expect to make significant progress towards our three week target for initial screening over the next two to three months, and to reduce the turnaround time for deciding more complex cases. There are no guidelines on average processing times for specific types of application.

Statutory Instruments

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Statutory Instruments subject to negative procedure made by his Department (a) came into force and (b) were considered by a delegated legislation committee in each of the last three sessions.

Hilary Benn: Details of the Statutory Instruments (SIs) made each session by Home Office Ministers, which came into force, are not held and such information could not be made available other than at disproportionate cost. However, statistics on the number of negative instruments made by Home Office Ministers each year, are kept. The numbers for negative instruments for each of the past three years are as follows, none have been annulled.
	
		Negative instruments
		
			 Year Number of SIs made 
		
		
			 2000 73 
			 2001 61 
			 2002(11) 60 
		
	
	(11) Provisional figure
	The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments considers all negative Statutory Instruments once they have been made.

Sussex Traffic Police

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on changes to traffic policing within Sussex;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on changes in shift patterns for Sussex traffic police;
	(3)  what police traffic operations will be based within (a) Adur and (b) Worthing following current reorganisation proposals.

John Denham: These are matters for the Chief Constable of Sussex. I understand that the changes in question stem from a force operational review that the chief constable established with the aim of getting more capacity at the front line of policing. The review acknowledged the important role the traffic division played in the policing of Sussex and concluded that the best way forward was the establishment of a smaller road policing unit (RPU) and a dedicated force wide unit taking advantage of automatic number plate recognition technology. The RPU will concentrate on the investigation of road death, potential road death and serious injury collisions, on patrolling and dealing with incidents on the strategic road network, and on assisting district commanders by providing specialist expertise.
	These changes reflect the priorities contained within the National Policing Plan 2003–06. They will enable officers to concentrate on core police business and ensure a high level of service to the community, while also allowing the effective use of specialist skills.
	I understand from the chief constable that within the new arrangements the established RPU base at Chichester will remain, with an enhanced staffing and vehicle level. Adur and Worthing, with Chichester, are within the West Downs division. Deployment profiles are in the process of being established to provide a response across the division. Road policing lends itself to a flexible approach and support will also be provided from other base areas such as North Downs and Brighton and Hove.
	The chief constable and force operational review identified the number of differing shift and rest day patterns across the force area as adversely affecting the force's ability to mobilise resources quickly and effectively. A force working pattern was therefore proposed. In line with Police Regulations this pattern was put to the workforce, who voted overwhelmingly for its adoption. A shift pattern has now been developed by the RPU, which maximises resourcing levels at times of operational need such as the morning and evening traffic peaks.

CABINET OFFICE

Contingency Planning

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment the Department has made of the effect of devolution on comprehensive contingency provision in the United Kingdom.

David Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are satisfied that arrangements for contingency planning between the constituent parts of the United Kingdom have not suffered any detriment due to devolution. Every effort has been made to ensure consistency and proper co-ordination.
	The devolved Administrations participate in the Civil Contingencies Committee and its sub-committees. Cabinet Office officials work closely with the devolved Administrations to facilitate the provision of comprehensive contingency arrangements in the United Kingdom.

Contingency Planning

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what arrangements are made to ensure that contingency provision exists to safeguard the public in the event of a major civil disaster; when such arrangements were last updated; and what changes were made.

David Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.
	There are well established arrangements for civil protection at national and regional level, involving Government Ministers, Government Departments, emergency services, local authorities and others. The Government support these arrangements by providing funding and guidance, as appropriate.
	The Government reviewed general emergency planning arrangements in 2001. It also reviewed and updated its management in light of the fuel protests, the foot and mouth outbreak, recent flooding and the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. As a result, measures have been taken by Government Departments, the emergency services and local authorities to improve assessment, detection, protection, planning and response to a wide range of threats. This work continues to develop according to risks and capabilities.
	The Government recognise that the current legislative framework for civil protection needs updating to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It plans to introduce new legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows. Work involving a wide range of stakeholders is well under way to develop this legislation.

Contingency Planning

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what common standards are set across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in order to ensure good and proper contingency provision; and what arrangements exist for their inspection.

David Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.
	Consistency between the guidance documents is ensured by liaison between the Cabinet Office and the devolved Administrations, who work together to deliver co-ordinated contingency planning across the United Kingdom.
	The core guidance documents for contingency planning arrangements for England and Wales are: XDealing With Disaster" (3rd Edition) and XStandards for Civil Protection in England and Wales" produced by the Home Office in October 1999. A revised version of XDealing With Disaster" is scheduled for publication in the first half of 2003. The arrangements are under the oversight of the Cabinet Committee on Civil Contingencies and Resilience which I chair.
	Emergency planning in Scotland is a devolved responsibility. In Scotland and Northern Ireland the guidance reflects the principles and methodology of the above documents but is adapted to take account of local circumstances.
	The main guidance document in Scotland is: XDealing With Disaster Together" produced by the Scottish Executive Justice Department.
	In Northern Ireland, the key documents are: XA Guide to Emergency Planning in Northern Ireland", which is currently under review, and XNorthern Ireland Standards in Civil Protection".
	Auditing is carried out by a range of bodies. For example, the emergency services are monitored by service inspectorates, and the National Audit Office monitors the work of central Government Departments.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Decontamination

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many firefighters have been trained in decontamination techniques to help the general public; how many protective suits are available in each fire authority area; and what expenditure has been incurred;
	(2)  whether the funds made available in February 2002 for mass decontamination service have been drawn upon.

Nick Raynsford: Individual records of fire fighter training are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In December 2001 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister issued guidance on the provision of interim mass decontamination facilities using existing equipment. All fire authorities have trained their personnel who need to use this equipment and approximately 120 of the service's senior commanders have received multi agency training, which will continue. Currently the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates that there are 3,900 protective suits available throughout the UK Fire Service.
	Under the new dimension mass decontamination programme announced last year the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will, by the end of 2002–03, have spent over #8 million on new equipment as well as the costs of training and the regional implementation teams. A further #27.7 million expenditure on equipment costs is already committed in 2003–04. The full programme will provide an extra 4,000 protective suits.

Environmental Protective and Cultural Services

David Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local government services are funded via the environmental protective and cultural services standard spending assessment.

Nick Raynsford: The environmental protective and cultural services covers corporate and democratic core costs and all local government services not included under the education, personal social services, police, fire, highways and capital financing blocks.

Fire Safety Legislation

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in relation to the Government's consultation, when consultation on changes to fire safety legislation through a regulatory reform order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 will be completed; when the final version of the regulatory reform order will be published; and how many responses to the consultation expressed concerns relating to fires in very large single storey buildings.

Nick Raynsford: Consultation on the Government's proposals for reform of fire safety legislation closed on 22 November 2002. A number of responses were received after the closing date and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering the detail of all comments received. Of the consultation responses assessed so far, four have mentioned concerns about fire in large single storey buildings.
	The order will be published, in accordance with normal practice for Statutory Instruments, when it is laid before the House. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister anticipates this being later this year.

Housing Standards

Patsy Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to develop a housing poverty indicator to enable the development of more accurate evidence-based policies.

Barbara Roche: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Department is currently involved in a project to consider options for strengthening and updating the Indices of Deprivation 2000 (ID 2000), including the way housing deprivation is measured. Preliminary proposals for improving the housing domain were published in the Stage One Consultation report, which is out to consultation until 15 January 2003. These proposals include:
	Using the most up-to-date information including data from the 2001 Census and the 2001 English House Condition Survey to update current indicators;
	Investigating the possibility of adding new indicators to measure children living in unsuitable accommodation, households lacking amenities and houses without central heating; and
	Considering how the 2002 English House Condition Survey might be used to model further indicators on housing quality.
	Once the consultation is over, the next step would be to draft a blue print setting out actual plans for updating the ID 2000, taking on board consultation responses. This blue print will then be subject to an independent peer review and a further period of consultation before the ID 2000 is updated.

Housing Standards

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his housing decency standard relating heat loss to energy input is; and what temperature that standard is designed to maintain.

Tony McNulty: The decent home standard does not include a measure of energy efficiency. There are two measures in the standard that will impact on the energy efficiency of homes. The standard requires dwellings to achieve a reasonable degree of thermal comfort through provision of efficient heating and effective insulation. Guidance on implementing the standard encourages landlords to maximise energy efficiency where feasible when installing new heating systems.
	Under the fitness standard, which is another component of the decent home standard, a property must have adequate provision for heating. This is defined as sufficient to achieve a temperature of 18oC in the main living room and 16oC in other habitable rooms when the outside temperature is minus 1oC.

Planning Law (Enforcement)

Mike Wood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he intends to take to encourage planning authorities into the appropriate enforcement action when planning law is breached.

Tony McNulty: Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers to enable them to deal with unauthorised development that is harming amenity in the neighbourhood. If they consider that unauthorised development is unacceptable on planning grounds, they have the power to take enforcement action. It is however a matter for the council to decide in each case whether to take enforcement action and, if so, the most appropriate course of action, taking account of local circumstances.
	The Government have already set out policy and procedural good practice guidance for local authorities on enforcing planning control. A consultation paper on the effectiveness of planning enforcement was published last September. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering the responses to that exercise.

Public Conveniences

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to require local authorities to respond annually to him on the number of public conveniences they operate and maintain; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: Local authorities have a power, but are under no duty, to provide public conveniences under section 87 of the Public Health Act 1936. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to introduce additional reporting requirements in respect of provision of public conveniences.

Regional Assemblies

Peter Viggers: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost is of the soundings exercise on the level of interest in holding a referendum about an elective assembly in each English region.

Nick Raynsford: The soundings document has been produced in-house, from the design and printing to its dissemination through the Government's distribution centre at Wetherby. It is also available on-line and respondents have been able to e-mail their views if they so wish. Production and distribution (including postage) has cost less than #700 to date.
	Additional costs may be incurred if it is necessary to print extra copies in the future. There will be some staff costs in recording and considering responses to the soundings exercise.

Statutory Instruments

Patsy Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Statutory Instruments subject to negative procedure made by his Department (a) came into force and (b) were considered by a delegated legislation committee in each of the last three sessions.

Christopher Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister came into existence at the end of May 2002. Since then 22 statutory instruments subject to the negative resolution procedure for which the office is responsible have come into force. In the same period, four statutory instruments subject to that procedure for which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible have been the subject of a motion to revoke debated in standing committee.

Mobile Telecommunications Masts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made by his Department in implementing each of the recommendations of the Stewart report into mobile telecommunications masts.

Tony McNulty: On 22 August 2001, following public consultation, and taking into account the recommendations in the Stewart report, published in May 2000, we introduced changes to the planning procedures and guidance (PPG8) for telecommunications mast development which significantly improved the planning procedures and guidance for telecommunications mast development. Our changes included:
	strengthened public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 metres and below so that they are the same as for planning applications;
	increased the time for an authority to deal with prior approval applications to 56 days;
	underlined that school governors must be consulted on all proposals for new masts on or near a school or college; and
	increased fees to enable authorities to carry out full public consultation
	In November 2000, we published a revised Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development. This is a tripartite document between central and local Government and the telecommunications industry and builds on the advice in PPG8 XTelecommunications" and the operators' 10 commitments to improve consultation on mast proposals with local communities and local planning authorities.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to amend further the planning arrangements for telecommunications development.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Documents (King Edward VIII)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she will make a decision on the release of documents relating to King Edward VIII.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside to the written statement I made on 18 December 2002, Official Report, column 64WS.

EU Applicant Countries

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many visits to EU applicant countries he made in 2002.

Rosie Winterton: My right hon. Friends the Lord Chancellor and Baroness Scotland both visited a number of EU applicant countries during 2002. The dates are provided in the table.
	
		
			 Minister Country visited Date 
		
		
			 Baroness Scotland Poland 24–25 January 2002 
			 Baroness Scotland Bulgaria 29–31 May 2002 
			 Lord Chancellor Czech Republic 9–10 September 2002 
			 Lord Chancellor Hungary 10–13 September 2002 
			 Lord Chancellor Poland 13–17 September 2002 
			 Lord Chancellor Slovenia 17–18 September 2002 
			 Baroness Scotland Poland 7–8 November 2002

Fly-tipping

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance the Department gives to magistrates about sentences for fly-tipping and other breaches of waste legislation; if she plans to review that guidance; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: No specific guidance is provided by the Lord Chancellor's Department to magistrates on sentences for fly-tipping and other breaches of waste legislation, but an Information Toolkit for Magistrates on Environmental Crime was produced jointly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Magistrates' Association in November 2002.
	The Magistrates Court Sentencing Guidelines, produced by the Magistrates' Association, provide a sentencing structure for magistrates including an indication of levels of seriousness and aggravating and mitigating features for offences that are most commonly presented before magistrates. For offences that appear in the magistrates courts less frequently magistrates will seek the advice of their legal adviser, who has access to up to date information on the relevant case law.

WORK AND PENSIONS

New Deal (Personal Adviser Discretion Fund)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the levels are of (a) payments in error and (b) fraud in respect of the Adviser Discretion Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Adviser Discretion Fund was introduced to give personal advisers more flexibility in the help they can offer their new deal clients. Advisers have the discretion to make awards from the fund, normally up to a maximum of #300, to pay for any goods and services needed to help an individual overcome the barriers preventing them applying for or taking up a job.
	The Adviser Discretion Fund cannot be used: as a cash inducement to take up a job; to pay for things funded in other ways under the new deal; to pay for Criminal Records Bureau disclosure certificates; or once a client has taken up a job. Payments can be made in error if an adviser mistakenly makes awards for these purposes, or in cases where the total monetary value of the awards made to an individual exceeds #300 (without prior authorisation from the Jobcentre Plus business manager). Information on the level of such erroneous payments is not available.
	Since the launch of the Adviser Discretion Fund in July 2001, 56 allegations of fraud have been or are currently being investigated, involving a total of #10,921. This represents 0.03 per cent. of awards made and 0.07 per cent. of their total monetary value.

Benefit Applicants (Hardship Cases)

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) discretionary payments on account and (b) Crisis Loan alignment payments were made to applicants for benefit who faced hardship while their benefit application was being considered in the last four years for which figures are available; and what the total expenditure was on these payments.

Malcolm Wicks: We recognise that many people making a claim to benefit will be in need of immediate financial support. To avoid unnecessary hardship, discretionary payments on account of benefit (interim payments) can be made where a claim has not been determined but the Decision Maker is satisfied that the basic conditions of entitlement for the benefit are likely to be met. The amount of any interim payment is automatically recoverable from the main benefit when it is awarded. No record is kept of the number or value of interim payments made.
	Crisis Loan alignment payments can be made to people awaiting their first payment of benefit which is paid in arrears, or their first payment of wages. Crisis Loans made to people awaiting benefit payments will cover their needs until their first benefit pay-day, following which full or interim payments of benefit can be made. In the main, these payments are made to people of working age (as pensioners are generally paid in advance). Information is not collected separately on the number or value of alignment payments made to people awaiting a first payment of benefit.
	The available information is in the table. The figures show the total number and value of Crisis Loan alignment payments made, including those made to people awaiting payment of their first wage.
	
		Social Fund Crisis Loan alignment payments
		
			 Year Number of payments Expenditure (# million) 
		
		
			 1998–99 433,851 20 
			 1999–2000 474,076 23 
			 2000–01 476,936 24 
			 2001–02 486,031 27 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest # million.
	2. Awards including alignment payments may include other items.
	3. Technical problems with the Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System mean that figures for 1998–99 may be subject to a margin of error of 5 per cent. to 10 per cent. and should therefore be treated as a guide only.
	Sources:
	Annual Reports by the Secretary of State on the Social Fund 1998–99 to 2001–02; and the Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Divorcees

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether a divorced woman can claim a full category A retirement pension on the basis of her ex-husband's contributions when she reaches the age of 60;
	(2)  whether a divorced woman who previously paid national insurance contributions at the reduced rate for married women can substitute her ex-husband's contributions record in respect of any year in which she paid contributions at the reduced rate.

Ian McCartney: The following women whose marriages ended by divorce or annulment, may use the record of qualifying years of their former husband instead of their own, if their category A state pension does not reach the full rate:
	Women who have not reached state pension age when their marriage ended and who have not remarried by the time they reach state pension age; and
	Women over state pension age when their marriage ended.
	The above conditions can apply irrespective of whether the woman was paying the married womens' reduced contributions, or full rate contributions as they are entitlements which accrue as a consequence of marriage.
	However, this may not necessarily mean a woman will get a full category A state pension. The amount of state pension she gets will depend on her former husband's and her own national insurance records.

Ethical Banking

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what contracts have been concluded as a result of the Government's commitment to support ethical banking.

Ian McCartney: The Department has not concluded any contracts as a result of a Government commitment to support ethical banking. There is nothing currently within the Department's procurement policy that would prevent such contracts from being let. The Government believe it is important for consumers to have choice in financial products, including the availability of Xethical" products. However, it would not be appropriate for the Government exclusively to support the development of one specific group of financial service providers. It is for individual consumers to decide the attributes they most value from their financial services and for financial services firms to be transparent about their use of funds and investments.

Maternity Pay

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase maternity pay to parents of premature babies.

Maria Eagle: We are improving maternity benefits as part of our drive to help pregnant women and parents financially and to achieve a better balance between their work and home lives.
	Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance were raised to #75 a week from April 2002. From April 2003, the standard rate for both payments will be increased further; a woman will receive the lesser of #100 a week or 90 per cent. of her average earnings. This is the largest increase since maternity benefits were introduced. We are also extending the payment period from 18 to 26 weeks for women expecting their babies on or after 6 April 2003—this will apply regardless of when the baby is actually born.
	Women can choose to receive these benefits from up to 11 weeks before their baby is due. However, when a baby is born earlier than the date the mother has nominated or before the start of the 11-week period, benefit is automatically paid.
	We have no plans to make separate provision for women who have their babies prematurely, as the current rules ensure that they receive their full entitlement to maternity benefits.

Pensioner Incomes (Mitcham and Morden)

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact Government policy is having on the income of pensioners in Mitcham and Morden.

Ian McCartney: This Government have done much to assist pensioners. The Government want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country. The first priority has been to help the poorest pensioners.
	From April 2002, the Government are spending an extra #6 billion a year in real terms on pensioners as a result of policies introduced since 1997. This includes #2½ billion more on the poorest third of pensioners. Three times more than an earnings link since 1998 would have given them.
	The basic state pension is the foundation of income in retirement. The Government increased rates in April 2002 by #3 a week for single pensioners, to #75.50, and for couples by #4.80 a week, to #120.70. From April 2003, there will be further above inflation increases of #1.95 a week, to #77.45, and for couples by #3.10 a week to #123.80.
	As at March 2002, around 13,100 people in Mitcham and Morden were in receipt of state pension.
	From April 2003, no pensioner will have to get by on less than #102.10 (#155.80 for married couples). Mitcham and Morden has approximately 2,500 people claiming the minimum income guarantee receiving on average approximately #57 per week compared to #32 per week in 1997.
	Around half of all pensioner households will benefit from the new groundbreaking pension credit being introduced in October.
	In addition, other initiatives have significantly helped pensioners. These include winter fuel payments (WFPs), which will continue to be paid to qualifying households at #200 a year throughout this Parliament. In winter 2001–02, there were approximately 14,300 recipients of a winter fuel payment in Mitcham and Morden.
	Free TV licences are available for the over 75s, worth #104 a year. The WFPs and TV licences are non income-related and are tax free.

Post Office Card Account

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what action he is taking to encourage the take-up of post office card accounts;
	(2)  what action he is taking to encourage benefit recipients to opt for post office card accounts when order books are replaced.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Workington (Tony Cunningham), on 17 December 2002, Official Report, column 604W.

Postcodes

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what use his Department and its agencies make of postcode areas for (a) the collection and publication of data, (b) devising formulae for the distribution of grants and awards and (c) the delivery of services; and when such usages were last reviewed.

Ian McCartney: The Department makes limited use of postcodes to assist policy development and the delivery of services to our customers.
	We do not publish any statistical information by postcode areas in their own right. However, it does use information based on postcodes as a building block to publish statistics on administrative or electoral districts, such as Government Office Regions or Parliamentary Constituencies. All of the department's National Statistics outputs are published on a regular basis and copies are placed in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament.
	Most of the grants and awards made by the Department are distributed on criteria devised at a national level. However, the award Cold Weather Payments is based on local conditions and does use postcodes to define eligible areas.
	The delivery of services to our customers has been re-organised following the creation of the Department in 2001. In most cases, the departmental agencies are organised into regions and districts whose boundaries are aligned with Government Office Regions and one or more Local/Unitary Authorities.
	Jobcentre Plus customers can access services through their nearest or most convenient Jobcentre Plus Office, Jobcentre or Social Security Office, regardless of their postcode. Postcodes are used to identify customers required to attend a work- focused meeting as the new integrated Jobcentre Plus service is introduced, in areas where ONE pilots operate and in some other parts of the office network.
	The Pension Service will comprise of a network of 26 pension centres, supported by a national local service, dedicated to the needs of today's and tomorrow's pensioners. Customers can access services through an 0845 local rate telephone number. Each pension centre handles the work of a defined geographical area aligned to Government Office Regions.
	Postcode listings used within the Department are updated each quarter. The use of postcodes to produce information, distribute grants and awards and deliver services in the most efficient manner possible is reviewed on a regular basis.